AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 89 



could obtain from the cotton or corn. Mowing among corn 

 ridges is indeed rough work. But I have seen a mower that 

 worked admirably and cut the grass all perfectly by running 

 across the ridges. It is impossible with any mower to do satis- 

 factory work running with the rows. 



When the corn crop is good and early matured and the grass 

 late, the former may be harvested ; and the mower may then be 

 used as above, cutting stalks and grass ; or if desirable the stalks 

 may be first cut with hoes and removed. When I had no mow- 

 ers, I found the grass scythe a valuable implement for cutting 

 this grass. Cutting with the hoe and pulling by hand, as many 

 do, gather too much dftt with the hay. This grass makes an 

 excellent hay of which live stock are very fond, preferring it to 

 the best northern hays. Mr. Collier's analysis gives, for crab 

 grass : 



Oil, 2.87 Amylaceous cellulose, 24.29 



Wax, .02 Alkali extract, 3.87 



Sugars, 9.88 Albuminoids, 9.99 



Gum and dextrin, 5.60 Ash, 10.68 



Cellulose, 32.80 



100.00 



FOR ASH. 



Potassium, 6.67 Phosphoric acid, 6.40 



Potassium oxide, 33.56 Silicic acid, 30.93 



Calcium oxide. 4.40 Chlorine, 6.04 



Magnesium oxide, 7.98 



Sulphuric acid, 4.02 100.00 



This grass varies much in size and other respects according 

 to soil and season. Stems have been measured seven feet long; 

 but it is usually two to four feet, and may yield one to two tons 

 of sweet delicious hay per acre. It should be cut as soon as in 

 bloom ; and often two mowings may be made in a season. 



Any good piece of ground that has had this grass matured on 

 it the preceding year may be plowed and harrowed smoothly 

 and then rolled in May ; and it will soon be covered with a rich 

 growth. If the season favor, two mowings should be made. 

 For a number of years I pursued another plan also with much 

 satisfaction. A piece of land that had matured plenty of crab 

 grass seed was prepared and in the fall sowed with spotted me- . 

 dick (sometimes called yellow, burr, or California clover) for 

 winter and spring pasture, without any thought of the grass. 

 As usual, the medick having matured seed, died in May. Im- 

 mediately crab grass came up very thick. This mowed in July 

 and August and again in October. This process was repeated 

 for a number of years without reseeding, or any other work than 

 mowing the grass. The second cutting yielded not over half as 



