70 RANGE IMPROVEMENT IN CENTRAL TEXAS. 
own stock fed on pastures of it, and demonstrated its wonderful fat- 
tening properties. Every sheep-raiser and cow-man in the stock-rais- 
ing counties of Texas knows about it and values it highly for the forage 
it supplies. They call it tallow weed for the reason, as they give it, 
that the plant will put more tallow on the kidneys of cattle and other 
stock in a given time than any other native stuff, green or cured. As 
it makes its appearance on the range very early in the spring before 
anything else greens out, it has a value distinctly its own. It often 
grows 12 to 18 inches high on the range, has fragrant blossoms which 
develop into a rich seed head, and lives into the early summer months, 
but gives way under the influence of extremely long hot and dry 
periods. It revives in the autumn months, and frequently continues 
to furnish some green forage in the early winter months. The writer 
found another related species (Amblyolepis setigera) in the pasture of Mr. 
D. W. Middleton, of Abilene, Tex., growing luxuriantly in October, 
1898. During the months of October and November, 1899, and in 
November, 1900, inapasture of about 10 acres, between Abilene and the 
station, a fair proportion of the plants were green. Tests were made 
in the grass garden in 1899 and again in 1900 to determine its value as 
a hay plant. The plants were cut and efforts were made to cure them, 
but they molded and soured. Asa green-forage plant it is one of 
the very best for central Texas, but as a hay plant it is extremely 
doubtful if it can be satisfactorily handled. 
TEOSINTE (Huchlena luxurians). 
So much has been claimed for this very superior forage. plant that 
much interest is being manifested in regard to it by stockmen and 
farmers of central Texas. ‘Tests were made in the station garden to 
determine what it is really worth for live-stock purposes. Seeds 
received from the Agrostologist were planted in drills and in hills 4 
feet apart each way April 10, 1898. By July 1 the plants had met in 
the rows; by July 15 the severe drought of that year was on, and by 
August 15 the plants had ‘suffered seriously. The drought was not 
broken until October 26, by which time the plants and roots had failed 
entirely. The stalks grew 5 to 6 feet high and there was an abun- 
dance of fodder. Early in June some stalks were cut, cured, and 
baled, and months later were examined and found to be sweet. Some 
teosinte roots in the station garden, in spite of the drought, put out 
from 25 to 40 or more stalks, and it is confidently believed that a yield 
of 10 to 15 tons per acre can be secured in any fertile valley of cen- 
tral Texas. As the hay is much softer and more easily cured, 
baled, and handled than any of the sorghums known in the section, 
and as in years of normal rainfall it will certainly do well, stock- 
men and farmers should plant considerable areas of their fields to 
teosinte. Efforts were made in 1900 to secure some seeds with the 
view to making some further tests with it, but they were received too 
