24^ ANNUAL REPORT STATE GEOLOGIST. 



Mississippi, where it has been known for many years. It is 

 called quite generally throughout Arkansas and in Mississippi 

 also, "Japanese clover." The characteristics of the plant that 

 render it particularly valuable are, first, that it will grow in soil 

 of extreme sterility; second, that it is an excellent grazing 

 plant. 



In the pine barrens south of Little Rock and on the dry 

 summits cf hills, it grows to a height of three or four inches, 

 somewhat scantily to be sure, but nevertheless in sufficient 

 amount for pasturage. In moister, deeper and less exposed 

 soil, it grows to the height of a foot, and affords the best graz- 

 ing. Cattle are very fond of it. The plant will undoubtedly 

 become still more abundant.* 



Bermuda grass {Cynodon dactylon) is a small, creeping plant 

 resembling the common crab-grass both in habit and in its 

 flower clusters, but it is smaller. In the country traversed, it 

 appears only as a weed, and not in great abundance. It is 

 spreading rapidly, and is considered, on the whole, the most 

 valuable grazing plant of the South. A figure is given in the 

 bulletin mentioned above, p. 25. This plant together with the 

 crab-grass [Panicum sangninale) should be encouraged in ail 

 places where pasturage is needed. 



Weeds. — The weeds observed in Arkansas are very different 

 from those of the eastern States, the latter being largely made 

 up of plants introduced from Europe, while the weeds of Ar- 

 kansas are mostly natives of the United States. Some of the 

 most energetic of the trans-Atlantic species have, however, 

 reached Arkansas. Conspicuous among these is the crab- 

 grass (Panicum sangiiinale), which is a most persistent pest in 

 cultivated grounds. This is considered by the farming people 



*It should be stated here that the sketch of this plant as given above, except 

 the name, was written before seeing Dr. Vasey's account of it in Bulletin No. 3, of 

 the Botanical Division of the Department of Agriculture, on the Grasses of the 

 South. It is there stated to have been introduced from China about forty years ago, 

 and to have become very valuable as a grazing plant throughout the Gulf States. 

 An excellent figure is given in the above mentioned bulletin, p. 47. 



