548 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



give pasturage for 1 month to about 25 pigs weighing 

 100 pounds each. In comparison with chufas, rape, 

 cowpeas and sorghum, it was estimated that to make one 

 pound of gain the pigs required in addition to the pastur- 

 age grain as follows: 1.77 pounds when on peanuts; 

 2.3 pounds when on chufas ; 3.07 pounds when on cow- 

 peas ; 2.68 pounds when on rape ; and 3.7 pounds when on 

 sorghum. 



666. Florida beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum or 

 Meibomia tortuosa). Florida beggarweed is a native of 

 the West Indies, but has been known in Florida at least 

 since 1833. It is an erect annual with rather woody 

 stalks from 3 to 10 feet high, bearing an abundant leafage 

 above, and when in flower tipped with much-branched 

 erect panicles, the ascending lateral branches being often 

 8 to 12 inches long. The seeds are borne in many-jointed 

 prickly pods, which break apart at maturity and are 

 carried about by sticking to the bodies of animals or the 

 clothing of persons. The plant is hairy throughout, and 

 has trifoliolate leaves, the obliquely rhomboid leaflets being 

 from 2 to 4 inches long. Florida beggarweed is adapted 

 only to the warmer parts of the Southern States, being 

 grown especially on the sandy lands of the coastal plain 

 from North Carolina to Texas. It is useful as a soil reno- 

 vator and makes a fine quality of hay that is relished by 

 all classes of farm stock. Beggarweed seems never to 

 be attacked either by nematodes or root rot. 



For a crop of seed, beggarweed should be sown at the 

 rate of 5 or 6 pounds of clean seed to the acre. If grown for 

 hay, from 8 to 10 pounds should be used. It should not 

 be sown until the ground is warm and moist, and clean 

 seed is preferable to the pods because of the more uniform 

 germination and better stand which may be obtained. 



