34 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



AUGUST 14, 1833. 



from the cornmon track. Jt is well known that 

 we have been opposed to the idea that there must 

 he a perfect overturning in the system of farming 

 before Agriculture can be pursued with honor or 

 profit, such is not the case. If farmers will do 

 honor to themselves they u ill he honored by others, 

 and if they will study to make themselves ac- 

 quainted with all the advantages and disadvantages 

 with which they are surrounded, interest will 

 prompt them to adopt that course which is most 

 likely to be attended With profit. 



From the National Intelligencer. 

 GAMA GRASS. 

 We avail ourselves of the following account of 

 this extraordinary Grass, which appears in the 

 hist FayettevUle (N. C.) Observer, under the signa- 

 ture of n gentleman of Wilmington', in that State, 

 on whose statements implicit reliance may be 

 placed. 



Sampson County, July 20, 1833. 

 Mr. Hale : When we were together, a short 

 time since, I promised to send you some account 

 and description of the Gama Grass, with the re- 

 sult of such experiments as I had made with it. 



The first notice I saw of this grass, was by Doc- 

 tor Hardeman, of Missouri : whose account of its 

 wonderful production, and valuable properties, 

 may be found in the 8th vol. of the American Far- 

 mer, page 244. I considered the calculations he 

 made of results, visionary, and had forgotten it. 



It, however, attracted the attention of Mr. 

 James Magoffin, of Alabama, who procured some 

 seed, and has now been cultivating it several 

 years. The result of his experiments may be seen 

 in the 13th vol. of the Amerii an Farmer, pages 

 60, 143, and 215. Also, in the 4th vol. of the 

 Southern Agriculturist, pages 312 and 475. 



Further experiments with this grass are detail- 

 ed by Mr. William Ellison, in the 4th vol. of the 

 Southern Agriculturist, page 404, and 5th vol. of 

 the same work, page 5. To these several com- 

 munications, I would refer such of your readers 

 as have those works, for a better and more partic- 

 ular description of the grass, than I can give them. 

 [N. B. Such Farmers as can afford to pay the cost 

 of the American Farmer and Southern Agricul- 

 turist, and neglect to subscribe for them, or one 

 of them, do not deserve the benefit of any im- 

 provement or discovery in Agriculture.] 



The combined results of the experiments of 

 these gentlemen show, that the quantity of hay 

 which this grass yields, is far greater than any 

 heretofore tried. That the quality of the hay is 

 equal to any other; and that, both when green, 

 and when cured, it is greedily eaten by stock of all 

 kinds. Mr. Magoffin informs us, he has actually 

 madeat the rate of ninety tons of green hay per acre 

 in one year — equal to between 20 and 30 tons of 

 cured hay. Dr. Hardeman states, that a single 

 root, covering a circle, the diameter of "which was 

 two feet, yielded at one cutting 52 lbs. of green 

 hay, which when dried weighed 20 lbs.; and con- 

 sequently, that an acre of ground, filled with roots 

 equally productive, would yield more than 270 

 tons of hay. However exorbitant these accounts 

 may appear at fust, the high standing of these gen- 

 tlemen leaves no room to doubt their accuracy. — 

 My own experiments induce me to believe, that 

 under circumstances, in all regards favorable, they 

 Jjiay be realized. 



Of the immense value of this grass to us, in a 



hot climate, and on a sandy soil, no doubts can 

 exist. 



I have ascertained the following facts, with cer- 

 tainty. That it grows spontaneously and luxuri- 

 antly, in our country, on alluvial bottom, and rot- 

 ten lime stone lauds. I have planted it in a poor 

 sandy loam on a clay foundation, (such as is the 

 general quality of the stiff pine lands of our coun- 

 try,) and on a sand hill, originally as barren, and 

 .is arid, as the deserts of Arabia. These soils, 

 well manured, produce it abundantly. Even the 

 long drought of 1832, (which, with me, continued 

 from 23d May, to 1st August, with the exception 

 of one slight rain on the 9th of July,) did not ma- 

 terially affect its growth. It may be cut as early 

 as the 1st of May, and the cutting repeated every 

 thirty days, until frost. It ought to he planted in 

 drills th ee feet apart, and two feet space between 

 trie roots. An acre will then contain 7,350 roots. 

 A single root, of the second year's growth, (on the 

 dry sand hill,) at three cuttings, has this year al- 

 ready yielded 7i lbs. of green hay, and will with- 

 out doubt yield at least as much more before frost. 

 At that rate, an acre of pure sand I ill, well ma- 

 nured, would yield 55 tons of green hay, equal to 

 about 18 tons of cured hay, of a quality as good 

 as the best blade fodder. 



In January last, I drilled some seed, in drills 

 two feet apart, with seed dropped at intervals of 

 six inches, intended for transplanting next Fall. — 

 The whole ground is now covered with a mass of 

 grass 2J feet high. On the 10th of this month I 

 cut and weighed the product of one drill 35 feet 

 long. It yielded 25 lbs. ot green hay, which, 

 when cured, produced 8 lbs. of delightful forage. 

 At this rate, an acre would yield 15,750 lbs. of 

 green hay at one cutting. It may yet be cut three 

 times more, and consequently, the product would 

 be 63,000 lbs. of green hay, from seed planted in 

 January last. The product of old roots is from 

 two to three fold. These seeds are planted on 

 pine land, with a poor sandy loam on the surface, 

 with a clay foundation — well manured. I have 

 not made any experiment with this grass, on any 

 other soils than those above specified, hut I know 

 it grows much more luxuriantly on alluvial bottom, 

 and rotten lime stone lands. 



Mr. Magoffin is certainly mistaken, when he 

 supposes this grass is found indigenous, only, in 

 the western prairies. He furnished me with a few 

 seeds of his own raising. I also procured some 

 from Mr. Ellison, of South Carolina, which grew 

 in Fairfield District, and some from Gen. Owen, 

 which grew spontaneously on his plantation in 

 Bladen county in this State, on the alluvial soil 

 of the Cape Fear.* 



They are all planted near each other; and are, 

 unquestionably, the same species of grass. There 

 is not the least difference between that found in 

 this State, and that from South Carolina. That 

 sent me by Mr. Magoffin, from Alabama, is a little 

 different in color, being of a pale hue, and of a 

 little finer texture. 



This grass is, without doubt, the 'Tripsacum' 

 of botanists. In Elliott's Botany of South Caroli- 

 na and Georgia, vol. 2d, page 522, two varieties 

 are described: 



" 1st. Dactyloides — Root perennial — Stem 4 to 



* A well known writer in die Newbern Spectator of the ] 9th 

 instant, (11. J5. C.) stales that during the last year lie fouml the 

 Gama grass on the shore of" the Neuse river, and dial a gentle- 

 man in Florida assured him he had found it in that Territory. — 

 Editor of the Observer. 



5 feet long — Leaves large, 3 feet long, 1^ inches 

 wide — Flowers, in terminal spikes — Spikes num- 

 erous — Very rare — have only seen it growing on 

 the margin of the Ogeechee river — Flowers from 

 May to July." 



"2d. Monostachyon — Root, perennial — Stem, 

 3 to 5 feet long — Leaves 1 to 3 feet long, 1 inch 

 wide — Spike, solitary — Flowers in terminal spikes 

 — Grows abundantly on the Sea Islands, (particu- 

 larly on Paris Island) and along the margin of the 

 salt water — Flowers from August to October." 



For any practical purpose, there is no differ- 

 ence between these two varieties. They are 

 found growing together. 



The following characteristics will render this 

 Grass obvious to common observers : 



It grows in tufts or bunches, measuring about 

 two feet across and three in height, which tufts 

 are composed of numerous branches, springing 

 from a common root, which is tuberous in its 

 form for about three inches, and terminates in ma- 

 ny small, but strong radicles. These branches in 

 their origin, form the common root, and have a 

 peculiar arrangement ; being produced from two 

 opposite sides of the tuberous portion only, and 

 departing from it at an angle in opposite direc- 

 tions, gives to this part of the plant a flat shape. 



The leaves which (previous to the period of 

 flowering) all issue from the root, are of a deep 

 green color, from two to three feet long, and from 

 1 to li inches wide, are shaped like a blade of 

 fodder, but are sawed or rough on the edges, par- 

 ticularly towards the point. The leaves com- 

 mence in a sheath, at the bottom, which encloses 

 and covers the origin of several other interior 

 leaves. About the last of May, a number of flow- 

 er steins shoot up from different parts of the 

 bunch, and grow from 3 to 7 feet high, and ter- 

 minate in one, two, or more finger-like appenda- 

 ges (called by botanists spikes.) The upper end 

 of the spike, resembles a single spike of the tassel 

 of Indian corn, and has a blossom (farina) on it. 

 The seeds, (which vary from 3 to 6 on each spike) 

 are embedded immediately below this tassel, and 

 when flowering, each has a single tag, of a deep 

 purple color, resembling the silk of Indian corn. 

 The tassel drops as soon as it has shed its pollen, 

 and then the seeds ripen, one by one, and drop 

 off. The seeds are imbedded on opposite sides 

 of the stem, and attached together, after the man- 

 ner of the rattles of a rattle snake. 



The flower stem is jointed and clothed with 

 leaves, much shorter than those which proceed 

 from the root, the sheaths of which embrace the 

 stem, to within a short space of the next joint. It 

 is channelled on alternate sides, like a stalk of 

 corn. When full grown, it puts out branches at 

 nearly every joint, which terminate and produce 

 seeds like the main stem. 



I have been thus particular in my description, 

 to enable persons to search out this grass. I am 

 s.ttisfied it will be the source of much wealth and 

 comfort in our pine country particularly. It is 

 certainly the spontaneous product of our own 

 State. I know it grows in New Hanover, Bruns- 

 wick and Bladen Counties, and have been inform- 

 ed it is found in Craven and Orange, and may, 

 probably, on any of our alluvial bottoms. 



Now is the time to search for it. It is in bloom 

 and more readily identified, by the peculiarity of 

 the seed. When not in bloom, it very much re- 

 sembles some other grasses which are different in 

 their nature, and not so valuable. I might add 



