SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
Europe, itie cuUnre of grass is particutariy adapted to the 
proper system of farming. A number of grasses are in 
use in other States and countries, called artificial grasses, 
but natives of some place also, and improved by culture 
Many of thr^se are adapted to a variety of climates ; yet 
the difficulties of the climate of Texas, particularly in its 
dry western portion, make it probable that the best na- 
tive grasses, if found out and cultivated, v/ill be more 
adapted to agricultural purposes, than the common 
artificial grasses in general. Among these may be named. 
Blue Grass, Orchard Grass, Timothy, Fiorin Grass, 
Herds and Oat grass, Ray grass, with others, species of 
diffierent genera of grasses. The different species of Mil- 
let, Sorgho, Indian corn, and the smaller grains, as Wheat, 
Oats, Rye and Barley, belong also to the grass family, but 
ftom their way of cultivation, are numbered among the 
grain and forage crops. 
Next to the grasses, some leguminous plants, particu- 
larly clovers and peas, furnish the best forage, green and 
dry. The forage plants, intermixed between grain crops 
in rotation, are numerous, and differ in countries accord- 
ing to the difference of climate and soil, the state of agri- 
culture and other circumstances. Rotations of crops may 
comprise from two to ten, and more years, with as many 
or less different crops, and may be repeated and con- 
tinued regularly, or changed, or carried on altogether free 
according to general good principles of agriculture, and 
the judgment of the farmer, varying in time and in plants 
cultivated, according to circumstances, as is more especi- 
ally explained in farm books. Fallov/ing, every third 
year, was in former time introduced in Europeas a rule 
in the grain fields, as indispensable for good crops, be- 
cause the soil refused to produce grains in succession. 
The buried v/eeds, together with the plowing done in 
these fallows, and the rest and exposure of the soil to the 
air, acted as fertilizers, and enabled it to produce some 
bread crops again. Forage crops and green manures 
were afterwards substitute! instead of the fallows, be- 
cause they acted in the same way, and were more profit- 
able. 
The following are plants for forage and grain crops, to 
be used separate or in rotations, and probably suitaWe to 
the climate of Texas, or partly proved to be so already, by 
experience, or worthy of trial, as being generally in use 
in other countries. 
The Clovers— among these the Lucerne Clover has 
already proved to be hardy enough for the climate, and to 
stand winters and summers green, nearly without inter- 
ruption, affording excellent winter and summer pasture, 
or making several crops of hay in one year, if kept for 
this purpose. In several places, where it has been plant- 
ed, the stand is better now — four and five years after sow- 
ing— than in the first year, and there is a probability that 
it will last for about ten years or more, on the same field. 
The greatest difficulty is to get a good stand in the begin- 
ning, and to have it soon strong enough, beyond the in- 
fluence of weeds; the fall, about the earliest fall rains, is 
a good time to sov/ it, and a clean, well plowed ground is 
necessary. With good rains, it will also grow well if 
sowed in spring ; once established, the Lucerne Clover 
will do well and improve for many years. 
The Alfalfa or Chilian Clover seems to be the very 
same plant; a sample, raised from seed of the Patent 
Office, and grown up to blossoms and seeds, showed no 
difference so far, in the whole plant, compared with the 
common Lucerne Clover. 
The Samjuin or Esparsette Clover, deserves a good 
trial, as it grows well m Europe on stony lands, in lime 
rock formations, and lasts there often ‘20 years on the 
same field, making, like the Lucerne Clover, excellent 
green and dry fodder; it is rather difficult to get good fresh 
seed. 
The White Clover deservea a farther trial, as aa ad- 
mixture to pasture^; in winter, because it usually drops 
seed enough, if once growing, to re-appear again next 
fall. In summer time, white and red clover and also 
crimson clover, have not yet proved hardy enough to re- 
sist the dry seasons. 
Of the Peas— there are several field peas used in other 
States, as forage crops and for green manure to be plowed 
in. The Chinese Prolific Pea is much praised as a forage 
plant, and seems to deserve a good trial. 
Vetches are also used extensively in some countries, aa 
forage plants, mixed with oats or some other grain, and cut 
green, 
Tho grains and different bread plants of the grass family. 
Among the smaller grains, the wheat has already proved 
to be an excellent plant for winter pasture; rye and oats 
gro’w equally well during winter, and very probably, 
barley will be adapted to the climate, as it is cultivated in 
many dry and mountainous countries. Oats and barley 
deserve to be more cultivated for horse feed, instead of 
corn; barley is also the grain used generally to feed the 
horses in Arabia, which is a very dry country. 
The Sugar Sorgho and Imphee varieties, and the Dourah 
corn, newly introduced plants, are excellent forgae plants, 
besides their use for grain crops and sugar or syrup mak- 
ing, and stand drouth well. The circumstance, that the 
Sorgho produces a profitable crop of fodder and grain; 
besides the sugar contained in its juice, makes this plant 
very valuable for the country, and its use for sugar or 
syrup making practicable. Experience has also shown, 
that the grass hoppers hardly ever touched the Sorgo, while 
they ate up corn and wheat in the same fields. Different 
varieties of Millet are also in use as forage plants, severe 
of which are possibly suitable to this climate. 
The Indian Corn is known as the principal fodder and 
grain plant till now, but has proved to be an uncertain 
crop in very dry years. Some varieties of Early Six 
Weeks Corn, might be tried with advantage for early and 
late crops. 
Of the Crucifer family, several species are used as for- 
age plants ; of these are the cabbages, of which a large 
winter cabbage, or Collards variety, makes good cow feed 
in winter. Colza, or Rape is sometimes used as a green 
manure, and for cows in winter to feed on. 
The Turnips and Rutabagas belong to this family, and 
are much used in some countries for cattle in winter. 
The Sugar Beets and Mangelwurtzel Beets produce 
great crops of roots, used for cattle during fall and winter, 
and they seem to succeed well enough in this climate. If 
sown in the fall or early spring, they will grow all thesuB^ 
mor following, and often to a very large size. 
Besides these, there are several other plants, more or 
less in use as forage plants ; among these are Carrote, 
Buckwheat, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Squashes, Lupines and 
others. The mentioned plants, with, perhaps, many 
others that may also be adapted to the purpose, offer sut 
ficient variety for selection, according to circumstances. 
Experiments and trials, would soon bring with them the 
necessary experience in the culture and application of 
them, which, in time, may be of great benefit to the agta- 
cultural interests of the Stats . — Southern Intelligencer. 
Kansas Sweets. — They are making Sorghum Sucre in 
Kansas. A letter from Leavenworth says : 
I was in the Quaker settlement, some 12 miles from 
Leavenworth, and saw them making the Chinese Sugar 
Cane molasses. The gentleman boiling the molasses 
told me that the juice only needed reducing two-thirds to 
make thick molasses, full as thick as New Orleans (Hr 
sugar-house. He said he could make nine gallons of mo- 
lasses from seven rods of ground! One man near Ls- 
compton, I understand, would make a thousand gallons. 
It is expected to sell at fifty cents a gallon. It is engaged 
at that price. 
