﻿32 SEEDS AND PLANTS IMPORTED. 



41902 to 41916— Continued. 



41904. Erageostis elegans Nees. Poaceas. Grass. 

 " An annual grass with stems 1 to 3 feet high bearing long, flat leaves. 



' It is not considered a first-class fodder grass, but cattle eat it readily 

 when other better kinds have failed.' (Duthie.) Indigenous in India, 

 Burma, Ceylon, Mesopotamia, and Africa." 



41905. Euchlaena mexicana Schrad. Poacese. Teosinte. 

 " A coarse annual grass native to Mexico, where it was cultivated in 



prehistoric times. It resembles corn rather closely, and some botanists 

 consider that corn has been derived from teosinte in the course of long 

 cultivation. The two plants may be hybridized without difficulty. 



" Teosinte grows from 8 to 12 feet high and commonly produces many 

 stems from the same root. No variety of it has ever matured north of 

 central Mississippi, but it is commonly grown as far north as New 

 Jersey and Minnesota. The first frosts of autumn promptly turn the 

 leaves brown. For the best results teosinte requires fertile soil and a 

 long season of moist, warm weather, 



" Formerly teosinte was grown extensively in the Southern States. On 

 soil of moderate fertility it does not yield as well as the sorghums, and 

 in Florida and along the Gulf coast it can not compete with Japanese 

 sugar cane for forage except on very rich soils. 



" Teosinte is best planted in hills 4 to 5 feet apart each way, which 

 requires about 3 pounds of seed per acre ; or it may be planted in rows 

 4 to 5 feet apart, using about 5 pounds of seed per acre. Its cultivation 

 should be essentially the same as for corn. 



" The crop may be used for silage, for dry fodder, or for green food. 

 For the latter two purposes it may be cut several times during the season 

 as it promptly tillers from the stubble. For silage, it is better to allow it 

 to become nearly mature. 



" Under the most favorable conditions teosinte gives extraordinary 

 yields. Thus, the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station secured 

 nearly 50 tons of green fodder per acre ; the South Carolina Agricultural 

 Experiment Station reports 43,923 pounds, green weight, per acre from six 

 cuttings and the Georgia Experiment Station 38.000 pounds per acre. 



" In spite of these large yields under favorable conditions, the culture 

 of teosinte has diminished, so that it is now little grown. Under ordinary 

 conditions, at least, corn, sorghum, and Japanese sugar cane are pre- 

 ferred." 



41906. Holcus halepensis L. Poacea?. Johnson grass. 

 (Sorghum halepense Pers.) 



" Probably var. miliformis, which has smaller, usually unarmed spike- 

 lets, the only form common in India." 



41907. Hoixus sorghum sudanensis (Piper) Hitchc. Poacea?. 



Sudan grass. 



41908. Indigofera glandulosa Wendl. Fabacea?. Befri. 

 " Befri succeeds well as a summer annual from Washington, D. C. 



southward, but the plant grows only 6 to 8 inches high. For forage, at 

 least, it holds no promise under American conditions." 



For previous introductions, see S. P. I. Nos. 22732, 33446. 34936. and 

 especially 23535. 



