FARMERS' REGISTER— GAM A GRASS. 



241 



From the Fayetteville Observer. 



Gania Grass* 



Sampson County, N. C. 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 result 

 of such experiments as I had made with it. 



The first notice I saw of this grass, was by Dr. 

 Hardeman, of Missouri ; whose account of its won- 

 derful production, and valuable properties, may 

 be found in the 8tli vol. of the American Farmer, 

 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 American Farmer, pages 50, 

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

 ern 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 the 5tli 

 vol. of the same work page 5. To these several 

 communications, I would refer such of your read- 

 ers as have those works, for a lietter and more 

 particular description of the grass, than I can give 

 them. [N. B. Such farmers as can afford to })ay 

 the cost of the American Farmer and Southern 

 Agriculturist, and neglect to subscribe for them, 

 or one of (hem, do not deserve the benefit of any 

 improvement or discovery in agriculture.] 



The combined results of the experiments of 

 these gentlemen shew, 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 actu- 

 ally made at the rate of 90 tons of green hay per 

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

 of cured hay. Dr. Hardeman states, that a sin- 

 gle 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 consequently, 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 first, the high standing of 

 these gentlemen leave no room to doubt their ac- 

 curacy. My own experiments induce me to be- 

 lieve, that under circumstances, in all regards 

 favorable, they may be realized. 



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

 hot climate, and on a sandy soil, no doubt 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 limestone lands. 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 

 country,) and on a sand hill, originally as bar- 

 ren, and as arid, as the deserts of Arabia. — 

 These soils, well manured, produce it abundantly. 

 Even the long drourfit 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 materially affect its growth. It may be 

 cut as early as the 1st of May, and the cutting re- 



VoL. 1—31 



peated every thirty days, until frost. It ought to 

 be planted in drills three feet apart, and two feet 

 space between the roots. An acre will then con- 

 tain 7,350 roots. A single root, of the second 

 year's growth, (on the dry sand hill,) at three 

 cuttings, has this year already yielded 7| lbs. of 

 green hay, and will without doubt yield at least as 

 much more before frost. At that rate, an acre of jourc 

 sand hill, well manured, would yield fifty five 

 tons of green hay, equal to about eighteen 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 2^ feet high. On the 10th of this month I 

 cut and weighed the product of one drill thirty 

 five feet long. It yielded 25 lbs. of green hay, 

 which, Avhen 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 — ivell manur- 

 ed. I have not made any experiment with this 

 grass, on any other soils than those above specifi- 

 ed, but I know, it grows iiiuch more luxuriantly 

 on alluvial bottom, and rotten limestone 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 planta- 

 tion 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 paler hue, and 

 of a little finer texture. 



This grass is, without doubt, the " Tripsacum" 

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

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

 are described. 



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

 to 5 feet long. — Leaves large, 3 feet long, 1^ mch 

 wide. — Flowers, in terminal spikes. — Spikes nu- 

 merous. — Veiy 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, 

 (particularly on Paris island,) and along the mar- 

 gin of the salt water. — Flowers from August to 

 October." 



* A well known writer in the Newbern Spectator of 

 the 19th instant, (H. B. C.) states that during the last 

 year he found the Gama grass on the shore of the 

 iN^euse river, and that a gentleman in Florida assured 

 him that he had found it in that territory. — [Ed. of the 

 Observer. 



