216 



FARMERS' REGISTER— PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE. 



EXTnACTS FR03t 



Piivatc Corres|joiideiice, 



BUFFALO CLOVfiR. 



Prince Edward, July Ath. 



* * * I enclose a few iiuffalo clover seed, 

 thinking they might possihJy be a curiosity. The 

 plant is a very luxuriant one, but is only seen when 

 May and June are wet montlis, and it dies about 

 the last of June. It much resendiles tiie common 

 red clover — so much, that I cannot distinguish 

 them until late in May. So that, I cannot say at 

 what time the seeds vegetate. I was very much 

 pleased, about six weeks ago, to observe about two 

 acres of poor springy land well covered with young 

 clover, — thinking it was red clover. But in a few 

 days I ascertained it to be Buffalo. With the aid 

 of lime it might vegetate every spring, and in 

 that case would certainly be valuable. It affords 

 a heavy cover to land, and fine grazing for a month 

 or two. # * * 



Essex, July 1833 



* * * My impression is, that 64 pages of 

 agricultural matter js too much to throw before a 

 farmer at time, and that it will be laid by tor a 

 more convenient season. A weekly sheet I think 

 would have been more desirable. I wish the type 

 had been larger : the quantity of matter would 

 have been reduced, but the pleasure of reading 

 would have been increased. * * * 



If our personal interest and profits were considered 

 alone, we should wish all our patrons to agree in this 

 opinion, as the adoption of both the changes recom- 

 mended would serve to lessen the expenses of pubhsh- 

 ing the Farmers' Register at least §500 a year. We 

 think however, as at first, that tlie monthly form, on the 

 whole, adds much to the value of the work, though cer- 

 tainly there is some ground for the objection made by 

 our correspondent. — {Ed. Farm. Reg. 



GAM A GRASS. 



Columbia, S. C. July \5ih, 1833. 

 I might probably be aide to get for you a few 

 seeds of the Gama Gra.ss, (Tripsacum Monosta- 

 chyon,) which grass promises to become of im- 

 mense advantage to our country. I have but little 

 of it myself, from a few seeds given to me last 

 year, and its growth this season induces me to ga- 

 ther all the seed I can, and cause some to be gath- 

 ered where it grows spontaneously, about thirty 

 miles above this, so as to plant next year one or 

 two acres of it. 1 sow the greatest part of what 

 I have for seed, which I most carefully gather my- 

 self, grain by grain, every day as it ripens; for, if 

 this be not done, the most of it will be lost, as it 

 drops as soon as ripe. I have reserved a small 

 portion of it to ascertain how olten it can be cut in 

 the season, and the quality of the fodder made of 

 it. It was cut for the third time on the 1st inst. 

 and expect to cut it again three or four more times 

 this season. It is now from fifteen to eighteen 

 inches high. That which was left for seed not 

 having been cut at all, is, some of it, about seven 

 feet high to the top of the ear, the blades being at 

 least four or five feet, and forming a very great ' 

 mass of vegetation, on a very dry and naturally 

 poor soil, only tolerably manured. The green grass 

 is not very succulent, and therefore does not loose 

 much in drying; and when cured, the fodder or 



hay is very highly flavored, and eaten very readi- 

 ly, in both states, by both horses and cows. Its roots 

 being very large, and sinking very deep in the 

 ground, enables it to resist the drought better than 

 almost any plant I ever saw, * * * 



We feel much gratification in being enabled to inform 

 our correspondent as well as the farmers of this state, 

 that it has just been ascertained that the Gama Grass is 

 I native of, and grows luxuriantly in Virginia, without 

 culture and without notice The letter of Mr. Meares, 

 wiiicli describes the plant so minutely, (and which will 

 lie presented among the selected papers in this number 

 "f the Farmers' Register,) reminded Dr. John Bragg 

 that he had formerly observed tufts of a similar grass 

 on the border of a meadow which he owns, adjoining 

 r*etersbui-g ; and, on examination, it was found to be 

 undoubtedly the Gama Grass. We saw it on August 

 23d, and compared it with Mr. Meares' description. 

 Before this interesting fact was known, we had selected 

 for publication the several pieces on this subject which 

 this number will contain, with the view of directing the 

 attention of our farmers to the introduction of so valua- 

 l>Ie a grass: but its culture may now.be expected to be 

 far more profitable, when we know that it is indi- 

 genous, and already acclimated in Virginia. — [Ed. Far, 

 Reg. . 



POUJVDIKG OYSTER SHELLS, &C. 



Nottoway, July ISth, 1833. 

 The subject of marl is exciting considerable in- 

 terest in the upper country. » * » * 

 I was pleased to see in your first number the result 

 of an experiment of the application of pulverized 

 oyster shells as a manure. I had myself thought 

 of making such an experiment, but how to reduce 

 them to particles sufficiently small, was the diffi- 

 culty. I have, however, thought of a plan which, 

 although I may never derive much personal benefit 

 from, situated as I am, yet others may. The 

 late thirst for gold hunting, has brought into use 

 amongst the miners various expedients for break- 

 ing down the rocks, to collect that metal. I under- 

 stand, from a gentleman living near one of the 

 mines, that some of the machinery used for that 

 purpose is very simple and clieap, and would easily 

 reduce the shells to a powder. He promised me 

 that he would send me a carpenter's bill and model 

 for the construction of one, which I expected to 

 receive four weeks ago. I shall write to him in a 

 few days, and if you think it would be worth it, I 

 will give you the information. Should the expense 

 justify me in doing so, I can bring back shells in 

 my wagon when carrying down my wheat. 



BUCKWHEAT. EXPERIMENTS WITH GYPSUM. 



A'ing fVilliam, July 9th, 1833. 



You expressed a wish to me to know something 

 as to the cultivation of Buckwheat. For several 

 years I have raised enough for family use, but have 

 not been so particular as to observe minutely its 

 product, or the probable profits attendant upon its 

 extensive cultivation ; but, perhaps, I may be able, 

 by stating what I know, to excite a spirit of in- 

 quiry, Avhich may eventuate in its more extensive 

 cultivation in lower Virginia If so, I should be 

 gainer, as I delight much in a well cooked cake, 

 floating in rich fresh butter, and but seldom meet 



