i'O-R TfiE SOtJTHEHN STaDeS. 



^1 



the seeds, but not always so certainly ; 

 for in some localities many faulty seeds 

 are produced, and in other places no 

 seeds are matured. Before sowing- the 

 seeds, therefore, they should be tested, 

 as should all grass seeds indeed, in order 

 to know what proportion will germinate, 

 and thus what quantity per acre to sow. 

 One bushel of a good sample of this seed 

 is sufficient for one acre of land. 



The leaf, stalk and panicle of this 

 grass resemble those of other sorghums. 

 It grows on any land where corn will 

 grow ; and like the latter, the better the 

 land the heavier the crop. On rich land 

 the culms attain a size of over half an 

 inch in diameter, and a height of seven 

 feet. It should be cut while tender, 

 and then all live stock are fond of it; 

 for a few weeks are sufficient to render 

 it so coarse and hard that animals refuse 

 it, or eat sparingly. 



A few testimonials are here quoted to 

 give an idea of the productiveness and 

 value of this plant. In a letter published 

 in the Rural Carolinian for 1874, Mr. N. 

 B. Moore, who had for more than forty 

 years grown crops, speaks of this grass 

 under the name of Guinea grass. 



"My meadow consists of one hundred 

 acres of alluvial land, near Augusta. 

 * * * In winter I employ but four men, 

 who are enough to work my packing- 

 press ; in summer, when harvesting, 

 double that number. In autumn I 

 usually scarify both ways with sharp, 



steel-toothed harrows, and sow over the 

 stubble a peck of red clover per acre, 

 which, with volunteer vetches, comes 

 off about the middle of May. The second 

 yield of clover is uniformly eaten up by 

 grasshoppers. The top roots remain to 

 fertilize the then coming Guinea grass, 

 which should be but from two to three 

 feet high. =" * * On such land as 

 mine, it will afford three or four cuttings 

 if the season is piopitious. I use an 

 average of five ton 3 of gypsum soon 

 after the first cutting, and about the 

 same quantity of the best commercial 

 fertilizers, in March and April. * * * 

 The grass, which is cut before noon, is 

 put up with horse sulky rakes, in cocks, 

 before sun-down." 



Mr. Moore's income from this field 

 was from seven thousand to ten thou- 

 sand dollars a year. 



Mr. Goelsel, of Mobile, says : "It is 

 undoubtedly the most profitable soiling 

 plant yet introduced, and also promises 

 to be the plant for our Southern hay 

 stacks, provided it can be cut every 

 three or four weeks." 



Note.— Eecognizing all the above, I 

 would say, that great care must be taken 

 not to sow this grass near cultivated 

 lands. If done, it should not be allowed 

 to go to seed, as the wind will blow them 

 off from the stalks, and when it gets 

 amongst cane or other crops it causes 

 a great deal of trouble. It is almost im- 

 possible to get it out of the land. 



RESCUE GRASS 



(Ceratochloa australis or Bromus ScUraderii.) 



It is an annual winter grass. It varies 

 in the time of starting growth. I have 

 seen it ready for mowing the first of 

 October and furnish frequent cuttings 

 till April. Again, it may not start be- i 

 fore January, nor be ready to cut till 

 February. This depends upon the 

 moisture and depression of temperature. | 

 When once started, its growth, after 

 the successive cuttings or grazings, is 

 very rapid. It is tender, very sweet, 



and stock eat it greedily. It makes also 

 a good hay. It produces an immense 

 quantity of leaves. On loose soil some 

 of it may be pulled out by animals graz- 

 ing it. I have seen it bloom as early as 

 November when the season had favored 

 it, and no grazing or cutting were per- 

 mitted. Oftener it makes little start 

 before January. But whether late or 

 early starting, it may be grazed or 

 mowed frequently, until April, it still 



