For the Southern States. 



135 



to matu'^e seed, be cut and then easily cured, forming? a fair fod- 

 der with 1 icb gTain combined. Cut in this way the stalks not only 

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

 of pithy jT^rasses. It will not hecome sour like Indian Corn. The 

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

 ai)pear, to cut and house stalks and seed all tOi.'e'her 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 ayidity. 



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

 cut for gi een soiling, or in drills about three f'-et apart. If sown 

 broadcast, on.e busht-l of see I to the acre, harrowed in, is snfti.- 

 cient. The yield of green stuff and eured hay is simply enormous ; 

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

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

 peck of seed per acre is amp'e. Of course, except on vcy rich 

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

 ly. For grain the st/ilks should not be nearer than 12 inches in 

 the drill, but if to be cut repeatedly till frost for g^een soiling, it is 

 be'tertosow quite thickly in the ddlls. An inch or an inch and a- 

 half is the proper dei'tb for covering the seed. Of course the 

 ground should be well plought d and harrowed before sowing- 

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

 distance in the drills by choi)ping aeioss the rows. One or two 

 good ploujihings is all the cultivation needed. Once well started 

 no feat need be enters ained that weeds or grass can make head- 

 way — tbey will be spt edily 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 seed begrt)wn 

 the same year. It can be sown at any time in the far Soutn 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 Com, 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 1 .nds will lose very little by the operation. It is astonishing 

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



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

 Glover in blossom, is shown to be richer both in heating properties 

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

 producers. Tne following table will show their comparative val- 

 ues: — 







SO 



p ^ 



•2. 



> 

 ^ 



: B 



'■ 



I- 



i? 



. CD 



: J3j 



1 



Uhrouro 



77.3 



78.0 



21.4 

 20.3 



l.i 

 1.7 



2.9 

 3.7 



11.9 



8.6 



0.7 



8.0 



1.4 



Btd Clover in blossom. 



0.8 



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

 greater vaiiety of lands, with less labor, iu one season, and will 

 leave more rough litter to be turned into the soil than any other 



k 



