(31 ) 



Many persons object to it on account of its great tenacity of life, 

 matting the soil in every direction with its cane-like roote, and the 

 rapidity with which it will spread over a field, and the difficulty of 

 eradicating it. But these very objections should be its recommen- 

 dation to owners of worn-out fields; and if it be desired to destroy 

 it, it is only necessary to pasture it closely one year, and then in the 

 fall turn the roots up with a big plow to the freezes of a winter, 

 renewing the breaking up once or twice during the winter, and 

 then cultivating the next spring. The seeds are quite heavy, and 

 weigh thirty- five pounds to the bushel. Every one who has tried it 

 recommends it to the public. But some allowance must be made 

 for the partiality of friends, and it would be well to give it a trial 

 before engaging in its culture to any extent. There would, how- 

 ever, certainly be no risk in sowing it upon those worn-out hill 

 sides, so many of which form an unsightly scar upon the face of 

 nature in Tennessee the tokens of the past. 



A proximate analysis made by the Department of Agriculture at 

 Washington gives : 



Per cent. 



Oil 2.26 



Wax 61 



Sugar , 7.37 



Gum and Dextrine 5.14 



Cellulose '. 25.1 



Amylaceous cellulose ... 25.87 



Alkali extract , 15.58 



Albuminoid 13.18 



Ash 4.85 



Analysis of the ash of the Johnson grass : 



Per cent. 



Potassium 3.68 



Potassium oxide 35.72 



Sodium 81 



Calcium oxide 12.87 



Magnesium oxide ... 0.73 ' 



Sulphuric acid 2.96 



Phosphoric acid 10.44 



Silicic acid 22.21 



-Chlorine.... 4.58 



