246 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



in the South than any other perennial grass, unless it be 

 Bermuda-grass. In sections where Johnson-grass has 

 become very abundant, more attention is now being given 

 to its profitable utilization rather than to undertake the 

 expense of eradicating it. 



On rich black soils three cuttings are sometimes secured 

 in one season, the total yield reaching a maximum of 

 about 6 tons. Probably about 1J tons is an average cut- 

 ting, and 2 the usual number saved. At the Mississippi 

 Experiment Station the yield to the acre on unfertilized 

 plots was 3.75 and 4.83 tons, an average of 4.29 tons in 

 two cuttings. The use of 187 pounds cottonseed meal an 

 acre increased the yield of hay to 5.54 tons, and 460 pounds 

 to 5.82 tons ; 94 pounds of nitrate soda an acre increased 

 the yield to 5.54 tons, and 189 pounds to 5.92 tons. Mixed 

 with cowpeas two cuttings were obtained, aggregating 3.85 

 tons to the acre. At the North Carolina Experiment Sta- 

 tion a thin stand yielded 5139 pounds of hay to the acre. 



The rootstocks of Johnson-grass are also readily eaten 

 by farm animals, especially hogs. In Texas fields are 

 sometimes plowed up in winter to furnish feed in this 

 manner. 



293. Poisonous qualities. Under some conditions 

 Johnson-grass may cause the death of cattle in the same 

 manner as do the sorghums ; namely, by the formation of 

 hydrocyanic acid. Cases of this kind were reported from 

 Miles City, Montana, in 1885, and from California in 1905. 

 It has also been reported by Duthie that Johnson-grass in 

 India often causes the death of cattle, especially in dry 

 seasons when the grass is stunted. No case of this kind 

 has ever been reported from the Southern States where 

 Johnson-grass is most abundant. 



284. Seed. Seed of Johnson-grass is mainly grown in 



