82 



EICHAED FROTSCHER S ALMANAC AND GARDEN MANUAL 



STJPEKIOB TO OTHEB FOKAGE PLANTS 



in seyeral important particulars not generally 

 observed by tlie careless stock-man. 1. The 

 growing plant contains less moisture than any 

 other very valuable forage plant vrith perhaps 

 a. single exception. Hence we never hear of 

 animals having hoven or bloat or scours from 

 eating this plant as when they have fi-ee access 

 to red clover, peas and many grasses. 2, We 

 have never yet found on the Japan Clover 

 any fungous growths which are so common on 

 other plants as to cause many deaths annually 

 among animals grazing on them or fed with 

 the hay. 3. Hea^^y grazing for a few weeks 

 destroys the clovers, lucerne and most of the 

 grasses, while this plant may be grazed how- 

 ever closely, vv'hether the season be wet or 

 prolonged drouth prevail, without damage. 4. 

 There is less difficulty of obtaining a catch 

 with this plant than most others. The seed 

 may be scattered on bare, poor, barren ground, 

 rich soil, among weeds and dead gi-ass or in 

 March on small grain sown the previous 

 autumn or -vsdnter and a catch will be obtained. 



5. The grain being harvested when ripe does 

 not injure the Lespedeza; which is ready for 

 the mower through September and October. 



6. It is more easily cured than the clovers, 

 pea vines aiid many grasses. 7. It does not 

 lose the foliage in curing as do clovers, peas 

 and some other plants. 8. It furnishes good 

 grazing from May, some years last of March 

 till killed by frost in October or November. 



PEODUCT OF HAT. 



On medium to good land it ranges from 

 one to three tons per acre; and this may be 

 obtained after having during the summer har- 

 vested from the same land a good crop of grain 

 and straw. 



QUALITY. 



Some of our farmers, who have been moving 

 Lespedeza striata for live to ten years regard 

 it as the soundest, best, most wholesome and 

 palatable hay they ever used. These moTsdngs 

 have ranged from two to three hundi-ed tons on 

 single farms in one season. Yet no complaint 

 as to quality, or relish of animals for it, or as 

 to its nutritive value and good effect on the i 

 stock has ever reached us. Those who have 

 used it longest and in largest quantities and 

 kept animals — cattle, sheep, horses and mules 

 ■ — in best condition commend it most. We 

 have now before us a beautiful sample of this 

 hay fi'om Louisiana being from a crop of per- 

 haps 300 tons movN-ed last autumn. 



SEEDING. 



A measured half bushel of seed per acre may 



be sown broad-cast the first week in March 

 south of parallel 32 ^ of latitude, a few days 

 later as we proceed northward for each degree 

 or two. Sown in the fall or winter it springs 

 up, but freezes often throw it out and destroy 

 it. As already stated it germinates and grows 

 well on land in any condition, if the surface 

 is not so loose as to let the seed sink too deep. 

 "WTien land has been prepared for or sown in 

 grain, the winter rains put it in about the best 

 condition for growing this plant for heavy crops 

 of hay. 



All our remarks on this plant, as found in 

 our Southern States, are based on what we 

 have seen and learned of it in a belt lying be- 

 tween 305^ and 34^ of latitude. 



The only 



COMPLETE PEOOF 



of the value of a forage plant is found in the 

 concurrence of chemical analysis and the 

 observation and experience of the stockman. 

 When the relish of an animal for the forage is 

 keen, the health preserved and improved, 

 growth promoted, a maximum quantity of 

 excellent beef or mutton or pork, and, if 

 superior, milk and butter, are obtained, we 

 certainly have an admirable food plant. The 

 judgment of the cow, the convictions of the 

 farmer arising from his experiences indepen- 

 dent of, and indeed in utter ignorance of any 

 chemical analysis, confirming the decisions of 

 the chemist, give us the best of all evidences 

 of the value of forage. And all these we have 

 in this case. Japan clover is also a great 



AMELIOEATOE AITO FEETTLIZEE. 



Its abundant long tap-roots decaTying render 

 the soil porous and leave in it much nitro- 

 genous material and humus. It releases and 

 brings up from the subsoil valuable plant food; 

 the ashes containing nearly 40 per cent, 

 potash, 29.60 oxide hme, 7.82 sulphuric acid, 

 7.54 phosphoric acid — all most valuable ele- 

 ments in plant life and growth. Soils are thus 

 renovated, slopes prevented from washing, 

 gullies filled, moisture solicited and retained, 

 atmospheric fertilizers gathered and garnered; 

 bald, barren wastes covered -^ith living green 

 to fill the stomach, dehght the eye and cheer 

 the heart. 



It should have been stated that this plant 

 has eradicated over large areas the much 

 detested heienium or bitter weed, which so 

 often damages the flavor of the milk of cows 

 eating it while grazing. It is believed that it 

 exterminates also two or three j^lants that are 

 fatally poisonous to cattle and horses. 



For price see price hst. 



This variety of clover was brought from 

 Chili to California, and thence to the States, 

 under the name of California Clover. It is 

 often taken for Lucerne, which name is wi-ong- 

 ly apphed. The Burr Clover has only two or 

 three yellow blossoms in each cluster, while 

 Lucerne has many blue blossoms in an 

 elongated head. It fumisheB good grazing from 



BURR CLOVER 



{Medicago Maculatu. ) 



February till April or ]May. It is good for 

 grazing and hay. As there is no way for 

 removing the seeds from the pods of spotted 

 medic, it is necessary to sow the burr hke 

 pods, say one-half bushel per acre. The 

 planting should be done early in fall, so the 

 pods may have time to rot and release the 

 seeds. Should be covered very lightly. 



