148 EXPERIMENTS WITH ROOTS AND FORAGE CROPS 



plants set eighteen inches apart in the row. One-fourth of an 

 acre was transplanted. The following September the plants 

 had attained a height of about two feet. Fig. 12 is a pho- 

 tograph taken at that time and shows the results of one 

 season's growth. At this time the main stems were very 

 fibrous and woody and therefore very indigestible. If used 

 for forage it is necessary to cut them often. Our cattle ate 

 the succulent part readily. The following spring not over one- 

 twentieth of them were alive ; they heaved badly, being of such a 

 large root growth. The soil too was a clay loam. Even those 

 that did live seemed to be affected by the severe winter and 

 made a rather indifferent growth the next season, not reaching 

 over four and one-half feet in height. They were given no care 

 and have at the present writing all disappeared. If planted in 

 light ground we believe the results would be much better. They 

 are very vigorous growers and when once established in a suita- 

 ble climate, we believe they would make considerable forage, 

 and in fact be a very troublesome plant to eradicate. To grow 

 them from seed sown in the field is a discouraging undertaking. 

 On the other hand, twenty-five cents per plant is too expensive 

 should a person desire to test them. They are easily grown 

 under glass or indoors at a window. Like many other of the 

 novelties, they may do well where drouths and forage famines 

 are frequent ; but where corn and other suitable crops are so 

 readily grown, we believe there is no use for them. 



GIANT BEGGAR WEED 



This plant was grown during the past season in a plot 9x10 

 feet. The seed was sown in early spring. At the end of the 

 season the largest of the plants stood 4^ feet in height and 

 each had branched, closely to the ground into from seven to 

 nine main shoots, thus making a large head. The leaf resem- 

 bles the cow pea in general shape and appearance. The main 

 stems of the plant, like the sacaline, become very fibrous when 

 allowed to grow beyond the succulent stage. The claims for 

 the plant are its adaptability to poor soils and its highly nutri- 

 tious food value as a forage crop. It is thought to be of spe- 

 cial value for the South. We doubt its value for New Hamp- 



