GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



81 



If mixed thoroughly with dampened oats, 

 % bushel oats to 8 pounds of Paspalum 

 Dilatatum, this would scatter the seed 

 sufficiently when sown, then harrowed and 

 dragged well — putting in the seed an inch 

 or two. A peck of dry Paspalum Dilata- 

 tum seed usually weighs 6 pounds. Plant 

 from November to March, as a frost will 

 not kill it. 



FABA GRASS (Panicum Barbinode). — 



Para Grass is a native of South America 

 and is grown somewhat commonly in 

 Florida, to a rapidly increasing extent in 

 Southern Texas, and throughout the Gulf 

 Coa.st region. It is a perennial which 

 makes its best growth on damp soils, 

 though it has been fairly successful on 

 Texas ranches on heavy soils without irri- 

 gation where irrigation is needed for most 

 other crops. It is not injured by prolonged 

 overflows and makes a vigorous growth 

 where the land is under water several 

 weeks. It is especially valuable for plant- 

 ing on ditch banks, on the margins of 

 ponds, and on soils too wet and seepy for 

 the cultivation of other crops. It is used 

 for both hay and pasture. Para Grass will 

 not withstand a lower temperature than 

 about 18 degrees F. It is therefore adapted 

 only to the extreme southern portion of 

 the country, but has succeeded as far 

 north as Charleston. S. C. Para Grass is 

 usually propagated by planting pieces of 

 the running stems, which often make a 

 growth of 20 to 30 feet in a season. Pieces 

 of the stems from 6 to 12 inches long and 

 having three or four joints grow rapidly 

 when simply pushed down into freshly 

 plowed ground, so propagation is neither 

 difficult nor expensive. The first growth 

 from the cuttings is in long prostrate 

 runners, but as soon as the ground becomes 

 fairly well covered the plant becomes more 

 erect, soon reaching a height of 3 to 4 

 feet, so the closer the cuttings are planted 

 the sooner a crop will be secured. If 

 planted only 1 or 2 feet apart in each direc- 

 tion, early in the Spring, two or three good 

 cuttings for hay may be made the first 

 season. Cuttings may be planted at any 

 time from early Spring until as late as 

 September, though late plantings will make 

 little growth until the following season. 

 For a good stand the first year about 7,000 

 to 8,000 roots, and at the end of the 

 second year 3,500 to 4,000 roots; 75,000 

 plants are required to plant 10 acres. 

 Price of roots, $1.00 per 100; $8.00 per 

 1,000. 



SUDAIT GBASS. — Is one of the sorghums, 

 it is very similar in growth to Johnson 

 Grass, but differs from the latter in that 

 it is entirely free from the persistent 

 underground root system which makes a 

 Johnson Grass sod so difficult to eradicate. 

 Sudan Grass, being an annual and having 

 fibrous roots similar to wheat, or oats, is 

 as easily controlled and eradicated as 

 millet at the close of the growing season. 

 This grass is even more thrifty in growing 

 than Johnson, reaching from 4 to 7 feet in 

 height, producing medium small stems and 

 an abundance of broad linear leaves. The 

 color of the plant is a shade paler, and is 

 more palatable than any other sorghum 

 hay. One plant produces from 10 to 25 

 culms. While Sudan will grow in almost 

 any soil or climate, it is especially adapted 

 to the arid and semi-arid regions of the 

 Southwest. Planting for hay should be 

 done broadcast, using about 8 pounds of 

 seed to the acre, or if grown for seed pur- 

 poses the rate should be 3^^ pounds, in 



rows 3^/^ feet apart and intertilled as 

 cotton and corn. Planting time is usually 

 during April. The yield of Sudan hay is 

 from 8 to 12 tons to the acre and the 

 quantity of seed when grown for the latter 

 I purpose under normal conditions, is from 

 25 to 30 bushels. 



SFEIiTZ OB EMMER. — This grain grows 

 tall like rye and matures early like barley, 

 and each year, when tested by the side of 

 each, it has yielded twice as much per 

 acre as oats, and three bushels to one of 

 barley, and it is much better feed for stock 

 j than either. It yields 40 to 80 bushels to 

 I the acre, and from 4 to 6 tons of straw hay. 

 I Tough and hardy, it stands the drouth 

 i better than any other grain, making it a 

 I sure crop. It is a grain to sow for profit. 

 i Your chickens and geese, your horses and 

 j colts, your cows and calves, your sheep, 

 ! lambs and swine, all will eat it eagerly and 

 flourish. The culture of Speltz is sim- 

 plicity itself. It is just as easy as sow- 

 ing oats or wheat. Prepare your land as 

 you would for wheat or oats, and sow at 

 the rate of 2 bushels per acre. Sow very 

 early in the Spring or Fall, and do not let 

 it stand until it gets too ripe before cut- 

 ting, as any grain that yields well shells 

 easilj'. In the green state it makes an ex- 

 cellent pasture. Has given good results 

 both in Texas and Oklahoma. 



ONOBYBCHIS S A T I V A (Esparsette 



Sanfoin). — This perennial, European, pea- 

 like plant, has a high character as a feed 

 in France. It is cultivated to but a limited 

 extent in the South. It is worthy of a 

 trial as it belongs to a warm climate. 

 Twenty pounds to the acre. 



TIMOTHY. — As a crop for hay, Timothy 

 is probably unsurpassed by any other 

 grass. It is greatly relished by all kinds 

 of stock, especially horses; yields more 

 nutritive matter than any other grass or 

 forage plant. Being an early grass it is 

 well adapted to Spring and vSummer graz- 

 ing, and if the Fall season is favorable it 

 will grow sufficiently to furnish good Fall 

 grazing, too. Sow 10 to 12 pounds to the 

 acre. 



STECEI.EB CO.'S SFECIAZ. HOG PAS- 

 TURE MIXTURE.— Makes one of the best 

 pastures for hogs. Three bushels per acre. 

 See Price List on Red Pages. 



STECEI.ER CO.'S MIXED IiAWlT 

 GRASS. — For lawns of any extent we 

 recommend this our best mixture. We 

 have combined all the most suitable vari- 

 eties that are necessary for making a 

 beautiful lawn. It is the best proportioned 

 mixture of grasses in the South. Three 

 bushels to the acre. 



STECKI.ER CO.'S GRASS SEED MIX- 

 TURE. — For meadows and pastures. — No. 

 1, for liglit soils; No. 2, for heavy soils; 

 No. 3, for sliady soils. When ordering, 

 please state condition of soil and location. 

 Three bushels per acre. 



WORTH $100.00 TO EVERY FARMER. 



FARVERS READY REFERENCE BOOK. Contains 192 

 pages of vital interest to the Farmer. Gardener, 

 Ranctiman. Dairyman, etc. Ctiapters on all depart- 

 ments of farm life, each written by an expert in his 

 particular line. 



Send us your order for $5.00 worth of Seeds and a copy 

 of this Book will be sent you Free of charge. The supply 

 is limited. Order to-day. 



Plant English Rye Grass For Your Winter Lawn. 



