2 BULLETIN 442, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Florida, and during the course of the experiments field tests have 
been made with 13 varieties secured from eight different parts of 
the world. 
SOIL AND CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS OF LEMON GRASS. 
The best results with lemon grass have been obtained on well- 
drained sandy loam (fig. 2), but this plant also does well on light 
sand, such as the high pine lands of the Florida peninsula. Newly 
cleared sandy pine land without the previous application of lime has 
Fig. 1.— Two plants of lemon grass four months after planting. 
also given good results. Soil which is poorly drained or underlain 
by hardpan within 3 feet of the surface should not be planted to 
lemon grass. Field tests have not been made on heavy clay lands, 
but the successful cultivation of the crop on that type of soil is 
regarded as doubtful. 
The climatic requirements of lemon grass are subtropical. A 
winter temperature of 28° F. has killed the plants to the ground, 
while 24° has killed the roots. However, the crop may be, planted 
with safety where the temperature does not fall below 25° F., and 
under certain conditions even a slightly lower temperature may not 
cause serious damage. 
