IN THE EVERGLADES 119 



It is so nutritious that although it should turn black from fre- 

 quent heavy dews or light rains it is still well worth while to 

 preserve it for feed, as it can be fed during the season of the 

 year when animals are not hard at work. Fed green to cows, it 

 is a most extraordinarily nutritious feed, producing milk unsur- 

 passed in richness. It is also the very best of green poultry feeds, 

 poultry preferring it to any other green feed they even eat the 

 ends of the green tendrils or vines. Horses must be fed very 

 sparingly of it, as it will cause them to bloat readily. 



The hay should be salted before curing and putting in mows, 

 as it is then much more relished by all animals. It is much to be 

 preferred to cow peas from one point of view, as it is not subject 

 to root knot. I have frequently experienced considerable trouble 

 from this source. 



Cow peas can be sown broadcast as light as three pecks to 

 the acre with splendid results. They are usually planted in rows, 

 very much as described in chapter on string beans. The hay 

 should be cured in the same manner as velvet beans but it does 

 not require as much attention, as this crop per acre is much 

 lighter in bulk, 



Velvet beans ave usually sown in rows about "ten feet apart. 

 I have found, hcwever, that they cover the ground much more 

 quickly if the rows are sown one-half this distance, using for this 

 purpose a much heavier seeding, sowing one or one and one-half 

 bushels of velvet bean seed to the acre. 



Of the different kinds of cow peas, we place first the Iron 

 variety as much to be preferred. A pure strain of these, if care- 

 fully saved, are less apt to produce root knot. In my experience, 

 however, I have found them subject to this disease, particularly 

 if planted on land which is already infested with the injurious 

 nematode. 



Among the native Florida grasses suitable for forage the 

 beggar-weed stands foremost. This, if cut at an early stage 

 before the seed is developed, will sprout up repeatedly from the 

 root and several crops can be cut, similar to alfalfa. I consider 

 the hay of beggar-weed in no way inferior to the latter. It must 



