AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 11 



By frequent grazing or mowing it is kept in a growing, ten- 

 der; palatable, digestible condition. Cattle fatten 011 it and pro- 

 duce superior milk, butter and beef. And this is just what 

 should be expected when we consider that the justly esteemed 

 red clover contains 16 per cent of albuminoids and 41 per cent 

 of carbohydrates, while lespedeza contains nearly as much albiy- 

 minoids and 56.79 per cent carbohydrates. Yet planters differ, 

 widely as to the feeding value of the plant. Nor is this very re- 

 markable, since this, as other plants, must vary much in eco- 

 nomic value according to soil, climate and culture. 



In the report for 1878, p. 180, Department of Agriculture, it 

 is stated that, "It is a low, perennial plant, not rising much above 

 the ground, but spreading widely on the surface." It is true that 

 it rises little above the ground till May and perhaps throughout 

 the season north of 35 and on poor soils. But in Mississippi 

 from the south-west corner to Brandon, between 31 and 33 

 latitude it rises in*favorable localities to 12 and 18 inches, and 

 is much branched.- Here is Mr. Collier's 



Proximate Analysis of Lespedeza Striata. 



Oil, 3.30 Anylaceous cellulose, 14.67 



Wax, 1.10 Alkali extracts, 16.22 



Sugars, 14.74 Albuminoids, 15.11 



Gum and dextrin, 6.76 Ash, 4.33 



Cellulose, 23.77 



100.00 

 Analysis of ash. 



Potassium, 4.67 Sulphuric acid, 7.82 



Potassium oxide, 34.78 Phosphoric acid, 7.54 



Calcium oxide, 29.60 Silicic acid, 6.61 



Magnesium oxide, 4.75 Chlorine, 4.23 



100.00 



There is a good plate of this plant in the report referred to 

 above. In the report, Mr. Samuel McB-amsey of Warren coun- 

 ty, Tennessee is quoted and says of L. striata: "It supplies much 

 grazing from the first of August till frost." From this statement 

 it seems that this plant "supplies much grazing" at least four 

 months longer in south west Mississippi than in Tennessee. 



It is extremely hardy, readily takes hold of the soil, holds it 

 against other intruding plants and conquers it from many others. 

 By many it is said to eradicate the broom grasses (Andropogons). 



One serious objection to it is that it kills out Bermuda grass. 

 This however, will commend it to some. It grows well on and 

 completely hides any soil ; in washes, which it arrests ; and in 

 pine thickets, where nothing else will grow. 



It compares very favorably with red clover as a fertilizer, the 

 above analysis of the ashes showing nearly 40 per cent of potas- 



