134 



Richard Frotscher^s Almanac and Garden Manual 



to mature seed, be cut and then easily cured, forming a fair fod- 

 der with rich grain combined. Cut in this way the stalks not only 

 cure more easily, but keep far better than any other of the family 

 of pithy grasses. It will not become sour like Indian Corn. The 

 most economical aud practical way of curing it, is, as it will thus 

 appear, to cut and house stalks and seed all together when the 

 larger quantity of seeds has ripened. All kinds of stock are fond 

 of both the fodder and grain, and cattle especially eat it with 

 great avidity. 



It is cultivated either by sowing broadcast for hay or to be 

 cut for green soiling, or in drills about three feet apart. If sown 

 broadcast, one bushel of seed to the acre, harrowed in, is suffi- 

 cient. The yield of green stuff and cured hay is simply enormous 5 

 its growth is rapid and continuous till frost -, so that there is no 

 fear of losing it from becoming over-ripe. If sowed in drills one 

 peck of seed per acre is ample. Of course, except on very rich 

 land, the seed-heads will be larger aud finer if not sown too thick- 

 ly. For grain the stalks should not be nearer than 12 inches in 

 the drill, but if to be cut repeatedly till frost for green soiling, it is 

 better to sow quite thickly in the drills. An inch or an inch and a 

 half is the proper depth for covering the seed. Of course the 

 ground should be well ploughed and harrowed before sowing. 

 When the plants are well up they should be thinned to the proper 

 distance in the drills by chopping across the rows. One or two 

 good ploughiugs is all the cultivation needed. Once well started 

 no fear need be entertained that weeds or grass can make bead- 

 way — they will be speedily choked out by the dense growth of 

 foliage. So rapid is its growth that the seed crop can soon be 

 harvested and, as before stated, a new crop from the t?eed be grown 

 the same year. It can be sown at anytime in the far South from 

 March to August; it is not injured by a slight frost when young. 

 The leaves, if stripped from the stalks, make as good fodder as 

 those of Indian Corn, although they are not so large. If both 

 fodder and grain are gathered, and stock turned in to feed on the 

 stalks, and the remnants then ploughed in, it will be found that 

 the land will lose very little by the operation. It is as^touishing 

 how quickly cattle will grow fat on these bare, succulent stalks. 



The green fodder, by actual analysis, as coniptuvd with Bed 

 Clover in blossom, is shown to be richer buthii! heating piopeities 

 and fat forming principles than the clover, but not so rich in flesh 

 producers. The following table will show their comparative val- 

 ues : — 





2.^ 



p ?: 



E 

 ^ 





Dhouro 



Eed Clover in blossom 



77.3 



78.0 



2iA 

 20.3 



l.I 

 1.7 



2.9 

 3.7 



11.9 



t).7 

 8.0 



1.4 



0.8 



As Dhouro will yield more grain, fodder and stalks on a 

 oreater variety of lauds, with less labor, in one season, aud will 

 jeave more rough litter to be turned into the sod than any other 



