95 



W. B. McDaniel, Faceville, Ga. : 



Beggar-tick or beggar-lice grows well in the southwestern part of Georgia, is an 

 excellent plaut for forage, both green and cured, and is splendid as a fertilizer, build- 

 ing up land very rapidly. From the 1st of July it will entirely cover the ground the 

 same season. 



E. J. Bedding, Atlanta, Ga. : 



Introduced from Florida and cultivated in southern Georgia for hay and as a reno- 

 vator of the soil, especially the latter. It is not hardy against cold, and is not grown 

 in middle and northern Georgia. 



Whitfleld Moore, Woodland, Eed River County, Tex.: 



That which 1 cultivated was from seeds from the Department of Agriculture, and ap- 

 pears somewhat different from the native. It has to be seeded annually. It will not 

 stand much grazing, but is a good fertilizer, and drought seems not to affect its growth 

 in the least. It is best adapted to light, sandy laud, and will grow a heavy crop from 

 4 to G feet high on the poorest sandy laud we have, and in the driest seasons. The 

 hay is very sweet and nutritious, and all stock eat it more greedily than anything else 

 I have ever fed. The only objection to it is the trouble of saving and cleaning the 

 seed. 



LESPEDEZA. 



Lespedeza striata (Japan Clover). 



This plaut was introduced in some unknown way, over forty years ago, 

 from China into the South Atlantic States. It was little noticed before 

 the war, but during the war it extended north and west and has since 

 spread rapidly over abandoned fields, along roadsides, and in open 

 woods, and now furnishes thousands of acres of excellent grazing in 

 every one of the Gulf States, and is still spreading northward in Ken- 

 tucky and Virginia, and westward in Texas, Indian Territory, and 

 Arkansas. It is an annual and furnishes pasture only during summer 

 and until killed by frost in the fall. The small purplish blossoms are 

 produced singly in the axils between the leaf and stern, and the seeds 

 ripen, a few at a time, from about the 1st of August until the close of the 

 season. It reproduces itself from seed on the same ground year after 

 year, and on this account has been erroneously called a perennial. It 

 will grow on poor soils, either sand or clay, but prefers the latter. It 

 is better adapted to poor soils than Bermuda grass, both from giving a 

 more certain and perhaps larger yield, and from being more useful in 

 restoring their fertility. On poor upland soils it is seldom cut for hay, 

 growing only from 6 inches to I foot in height, and being inclined to 

 spread out flat upon the surface. On rich bottom-lauds it grows thicker, 

 taller, and more upright, and is largely cut for hay. It has been sown 

 artificially only to a limited extent as yet, but seed is now offered in the 

 market, and its cultivation is likely to be liberally extended, especially 

 on lauds too dry or poor for alfalfa and where the true clovers do not 

 succeed. Japan clover is remarkable for holding its own against other 

 plants. It will run out broom sedge and other inferior plants, and 

 even Bermuda in some localities. It does not withstand drought as 

 well as either Bermuda or Johnson grass, but soon recovers after a 



