17 
Desmodium acuminatum. 
A valuable forage plant, growing in rich woods from Canada to the Gulf. The leaves 
are crowded at the summit of the stem, from which arises the elongated naked 
aceme. 
Desmodium canadense. 
A tiek trefoil with hairy stems 3 to 6 feet Mie n oblong stes obtuse eni 
lets longer than the petiole, In rich, dry woods from New Brunswick to Minn 
sota and Kansas. A species Putre of whi under N 
Desmodium nudiflorum. z 
Common in dry woods throughout the Eastern and Southern States. The leaves are 
all crowded at the summit of the sterile stems, the elongated raceme springing 
directly from the roots. This tick trefoil furnishes considerable forage in wood- 
land pastures 
Desmodium pauciflorum. 
A perennial woodland tick trefoil with leaves scattered along the low mene 
stems, 8 to 15 iuches € the 5 few-flowered and termina mmo 
Q 
o 
for shady pastures. 
Desmodium tortuosum (D. molle). Beggar weed; Florida beggar epi 1 
head; Florida clover; Tick trefoil; West Indian honeysuckle. (Fig. 
An annual leguminous plant, indigenous to Florida and the Gulf States, ib 
into the West Indies and tropical America. This is undoubtedly one of the very 
best forage plants for those portions of the United States where it grows. The 
stems are tall, and, if grown at considerable intervals, are woody, but where seed 
is scattered thickly over the ground the entire plant can be converted into hay 
r ensilage. Florida beggar weed springs up naturally in fields npo es j 
ground has been disturbed, about the middle of June, and matures a crop i 
seventy-two to eighty days. On sterile gs! soils in the vicinity of Washington, 
D. C., beggar weed grows 3 to 4 feet high. In the rich, moist, sandy fields along 
the Gulf of Mexico it grows from 6 to 10 vate high. Horses, cattle, and mules are 
very fond of it. Beggar-weed hay contains about 21 per guis. of erude protein. 
At a yield of 10 tons, the amount of fertilizers contained in a crop yielded by 
one acre has been estimated at: Potash, 80 pounds; phosphoric acid, 160 pounds, P 
and ammonia, 400 pounds. It will be seen from this that as a renovator of worn 
soils, or as a green manure, no better or cheaper fertilizer can be added to a field 
than to turn under a rank growth of beggar weed. The tap root descends 
deeply into the soil, bringing up mineral fertilizers from the subsoil, which can 
be utilized by other crops. Beggar weed can be sown after a crop of oats has 
been harvested, or it can be scattered between corn rows after the crop has been 
laid by. Six to ten pounds of clean seed are enough for an acre. If beggar | 
weed is tried as a crop in the North, it should not be planted until midsummer. 
If planted early, the seed will lie in the ground and will fail to —— until 
the ground has become war Clean seed can be procured in the markets at 
about $15 per bushel of 60 Sende Begyar weed makes an 1 quality of 
ensilage, either alone or mixe.. with corn fodder. 
2 
Desmodium triflorum. 
A densely matted perennial herb, occurring in tropical regions of Asia, Afric 
America, Roxburghstates that it helps to form the most beautiful turf in Indi 
and that cattle are very fond « ofit. It springs up iu ali soils and situations 
No. 2 
