168 [Assembly 



either of no use to man or injurious to crops, are denominated 

 weeds." So is th^ cotton plant. li is the common appellation at 

 the South. Planters speak of the rapid or slow growth of the weed 

 as commonly as we do of pig- weed. But the most noxious weeds 

 we have to contend with is grass. In Louisiana and Mississippi a 

 species known as coco grass is a great trouble to cotton planters, and 

 has driven a great many of them from their plantations. The 

 grass has a tough, black root, strung with nuts like black beans. 

 The least fibre of one of these roots will grow, and although the 

 plant is as tender as a hot-house tomato, as regards frost, its vital- 

 ity is almost indestructible by heat The levees in Missippi along 

 the sugar plantations are covered with coco grass. The sweet 

 kind is very good for hogs, and they ro >t to a great depth after the 

 roots but cannot reach the bottom of them, as I have seen where 

 they were down seven feet. Another very noxious weed to the 

 cotton planter is called Bermuda grass. This is a creeper; it 

 runs great lengths, sending down roots from every joint, and is 

 very difficult to eradicate from the land when it once gets posses- 

 sion. I have seen hands working with iron tooth rakes after the 

 land was plowed, to take it out of the soil before plantiog. On 

 the eastern shore of Virginia there grows upon all the cultivated 

 lands a leguminous plant, a sort of pigeon pea, called the mag- 

 gotty May bean, which we should probably call a noxious weed. 

 There it is looked upon as a valuable fertilizer. Through all the 

 planting States grass is looked upon as the most noxious weed 

 they are pestered with. They kill grass and buy hay. We sell 

 it to them. Grass is not noxious to Northern farmers. 



Prof. Mapes — Salt is one of the best applications to soil to ex- 

 terminate weeds. Sow salt enough on asparagus beds in the 

 spring to whiten the earth — it will eradicate all noxious weeds. 

 You may salt land so much as to render it barren, but that will 

 be only one year, and that will improve the soil. You may re- 

 store over salted land by caustic lime. This will make soda and 

 chlorine, which are valuable fertilizers. Salt never should be dis- 

 solved before applying it. Sow it and leave it on the surfkce. It 

 will kill grubs, and may be used to advantage on potato land. 

 Potatoes have been grown in Jersey sands with raw salt muck for 



