52' THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Many farmers and planters especially object to this grass because of 

 the difficulty of eradicating it. Bot Mr. Hubert Post says it is not as 

 hard to get rid of as many suppose. He says that one of his neighbors, 

 in 1878, broke up some 15 acres, which he has since successfully planted 

 in cotton with no trouble from the grass. He also says that in this 

 Johnson grass a kind Providence has given the South a mine of wealth, 

 which could easily be made a foundation for wealth and prosperity such 

 as the South has never seen. The history of the grass in this country 

 is said to be as follows: 



Governor Means, of South Carolina, obtained some of the seed from 

 Turkey as early as 1835. He planted it on his plantation, where it is 

 stilled called Means grass. In 1840 or 1845 William Johnson, of Alabama 

 obtained some of the seed and sowed it upon his farm, whence it derived 

 the name of Johnson grass. It is said to have been introduced into 

 California from Australia, and has there been cultivated under the name 

 of evergreen millet. It has been tried in Kansas with very promising 

 results. A farmer there obtained some seed from his brother in Cali- 

 fornia, who had cultivated it successfully on a very dry soil on an upland 

 farm. This farmer finds it to be in Kansas perfectly hardy, rapid in 

 growth, affording three cuttings in one season, and producing a heavy 

 growth of after-math for fall grazing. Horses and cattle are fond of it 

 both in its dryland green condition. Probably no grass gives better 

 promise for the dry arid lands of the West. In Utah it has been culti- 

 vated under the name of Arabian millet grass. (Plate 29.) 



Sorghum yulgare. (Sorghum sugar cane. Broom corn, Chinese 

 sugar cane,IGuinea corn, Doura corn, Indian millet, Chocolate 

 corn, Pampas rice, African millet, &c.) 

 ' The above-named grasses are generally believed to be all varieties of 

 Sorghum vulgare. Most of them are well known and cultivated for var- 

 ious purposes other than for hay or forage. The Doura corn has been 

 extensively cultivated in some of the arid western counties of Kansas, 

 where the grain is used for feed for hogs and cattle and also as human 

 food. The seeds of the other varieties are probably also valuable for 

 feed for stock. 



The sugar corn has been extensively cultivated at the Korth and West, 

 and has lately received an extraordinary impulse from the development 

 of successful methods of manufacturing sugar from its juice. It is also 

 frequently sown thickly for a forage crop, and in good seasons and with 

 proper cultivation furnishes a very heavy yield. 



The botanical character may be briefly given as follows : Flowers in 

 an ample terminal panicle, loose and spreading, or close and compact, 

 erect or nodding. The flowers are on the small branches near their ex- 

 tremities. If examined while young it will be observed that there are 

 two kinds of flowers, one perfect and finally producing seeds, the others 

 containing only stamens or empty. The male or sterile flowers are on 



