100 



J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AND 



now. 'Seme day in the near future we 

 will feel like rearing a monument to the 

 boll weevil, when this little insect has 

 forced us out of the ruts of a dead .con- 

 servatism in agricultural methods. In 

 order to reach soonest and with the least 

 suffering a condition of independence, we 

 must first renovate our lands sadly de- 

 pleted of the essentials of plant life by 

 years of poor cultivation and devotion to 

 one crop. This can be done cheapest and 

 best by stock raising, and the raising of 

 some forage crop tnat will serve both the 

 purpose of land renovation, and at the 

 same time be a means of liviliiood for 

 the farmer. 



We have fortunately, in the South, at 

 least two plants that fill this need in an 

 ideal manner. There are several varie- 

 ties of the pea or bean family that make 

 excellent hay and rapidly restore ap- 

 parently worn out lands. These plants 

 are great nitrogen collectors, and con- 

 tain the elements necessary for annual 

 development in a marked degree. The 

 other plant, and the one that I wish 

 espe^cially to call attention to, is the 

 Lespedeza, It makes a better hay, and 

 is less expensively grown than any va- 

 riety of the pea family, while it is nearly 

 as good a soil builder. This plant made 

 its appearance in a very unostentatious 

 way some thirty-five years ago exactly 

 how or from where no one seems to 

 know. Probably it came from Japan — 

 brought in on some merchant vessel. 

 Wherever it came from it took quite 

 naturally to this soil and climate, and, 

 unnoticed, began advancing and spread- 

 ing, until it is found almost over the en- 

 tire Southern country. 



Lespedeza is an annual, perpetuating 

 itself by means of an abundance of seed 

 which mature late in the fall, and sprout 

 up as soon as spring begins. It remains 

 small and almost insignificant in appear- 

 ance until about the first of July, when it 

 begins to grow rapidly, to a height of 

 from six to twenty-four inches, accord- 

 ing to the quality of the soil, and the 

 amount of moisture. Jt is ready to cut 

 for hay about the middle of September 

 to the middle of October, yielding from 

 one to two or more tons per acre. For 

 gathering the seed it can be cut from 

 the middle of October to the middle of 

 November. When the land is well pre- 

 pared and properly seeded Lespedeza 

 affords a good cutting the first year and 

 will re-seed the land, affording good 

 crops for from two to three years, with- 

 out any expense to the farmers except 

 that of running a mower over the land 



once or twice during the summer to keep 

 the weeds down. 



Lespedeza is the most easily cured of 

 any nay that can be grown in the South, 

 as far as I know. Cutting it after the 

 dew is off m the morning it can be raked 

 into windrows the same evening. The 

 next day it should be put in cocks and 

 allowed to remain a day or two longer, 

 when it is hauled to rick or barn. After 

 two weeks it is ready for the press and 

 market. 



I have been using Lespedeza hay for 

 about twenty years, and I have never 

 seen any, from any section cf the United 

 States, that stock were as fond of, and 

 would reap as much benefit from, as from 

 this. Horses and mules will keep, fat on 

 it alone if not doing hard work. Mares 

 and colts will keep in excellent condition 

 on Lespedeza alone, while ccws will give 

 an abundance of milk and butter if fed 

 on this hay. 



We are told, "To try all things, prove 

 all things, hold fast to that which is 

 good." If any one will try feeding his 

 stock with well cured, pure Lespedeza 

 hay in competition with hay from any 

 section of the country, and will hear the 

 verdict as to which is best for the stock. 

 I have no hestitation in saying that the 

 i^espedeza will win out by time. 



In ^conclusion, I would emphasize the 

 fact that Lespedeza is the cheapest re- 

 storer for worn-out lands the Southern 

 farmer can find, and the easiest made 

 and ^e&t hay that can be grown in the 

 South. Respectfully yours, 



JAMES KILBOURNE. 



Alsike or Swedish Clover. Comes from 

 the little Province of Alsike in Sweden. 

 One of the hardiest varieties known; is 

 perennial and does not winter kill; 

 stands alike drouth or wet. A great 

 favorite with bee-keepers, as it has 

 flowers having a sweet .and agreeable 

 odor and affords excellent forage for 

 bees. Sow 5 to 8 pounds to the acre. 



Crimson Clover. Trifolium Incarnatum. 

 Crimson Clover, an annual variety, which 

 is a native of a warm climate, has not 

 been grown as extensively as it deserves 

 to be. It has been highly praised up as 

 a forage plant, said to be equally as good 

 for pasturage as well as for mowing and 

 to do better in poor worn out soil than 

 any other variety. It certainly has at- 

 tracted a great deal of attention in the 

 South during past years, and the Ex- 

 periment Stations of Louisiana and other 

 Southern States speak highly of it. It 

 has been grown for years in the South 

 of Prance and Germany, with great suc- 



Plant Silver Hull and Japanese Buck wheat and Red and White Kaffir Corn. 



