60 
H, G. Hastings Co., Seedsmen, Atlanta, Georgia 
RHODES OR EAST COAST GRASS 
.'Xd 
(No. 543) 12 TONS OF DRY HAY PER ACRE PER YEAR, ST. LUCIE CO., FLA. 
It’s not often that a really new and valuable grass 
appears, but the Rhodes Grass, or “East Coast 
Grass,” as it is more commonly known in Florida, Is 
certainly a find, for we know of no grass so valu¬ 
able for Florida and the Gulf Coast section. 
Rhodes Grass has been grown on both the East 
and West Coasts of Florida for the last seven or 
eight years with most marked success. 
Our Jlr. Hastings visited the Fellsmere Farms at 
Fellsmere, St. Lucie County, Florida, in January, 
1013, and was greatly impressed with the rank 
growth of this grass and its fully apparent value as 
a hay grass, something that Florida and the Gulf 
Coast section has long sought. 
We were assured by Rlr. Tillman, w'ho has charge 
of the experimental work of the Fellsmere Farms, 
that the Rhodes Grass produced, in their experi¬ 
ment grounds, twelve tons of dry hay per acre the 
previous year. That is a mighty fine hay crop per 
acre for sandy land. 
It is not coarse and makes hay equal to if not 
superior to the best Northern timothy hay. 
The illustrations shown on this page are from 
photographs taken on the Fellsmere Farms in the 
spring and show only one of the nine or ten cut¬ 
tings of hay per year that this magnificent hay 
grass produces. 
The source of seed supply of this Rhodes Grass 
has been more or less of a secret for several years, 
but we succeeded in obtaining an ample supply of 
it and can furnish it in any quantities this summer 
and fall. Rhodes Grass has been tested thoroughly 
in South Texas for four years and the growers pro¬ 
nounce it superior to alfalfa as a hay crop. 
For Florida and the Gulf Coast sections all around 
to the lower Rio Grande valley, above Brownsville, 
Texas, we believe that Rhodes Grass will prove the 
most valuable grass ever introduced. 
Field of Rhodes Grass Before Cutting (Fellsmere, Florida) 
RHODES GRASS CAN COMPETE WITH THE TIMOTHY OF THE NORTH 
One of the great and important problems of Florida and the Gulf 
Coast sections is to secure an ample supply of fine hay, something 
entirely satisfactory for use on the farm and at the same time be 
marketable in the towns and cities in competition with that stand¬ 
ard market hay, the timothy hay of the North. 
In a letter to us from P. H. Rolfe, Director of the Florida Expe¬ 
riment Station, Prof. Rolfe says: “In Florida, the best land for 
the Rhodes Grass has been our hammock land, especially that 
which has a clay subsoil. ... As to proper preparation of the soil, 
it is about the same as that for seeding other small seeds such as 
timothy, red top, orchard grass, etc. 
“The time of the year for planting will depend greatly upon the 
year itself. Where a good moist spring occurs it is well to sow in 
the eai^y part of the year. Toward the South, where there is no 
danger of cold weather, the sowing may be made in the fall, provid¬ 
ing the soil is in good condition to make a moist seed bed. 
“Apparently no grass has been introduced in recent years which 
has better promise of becoming the competitor of the timothy of 
the North.” 
The above words from Prof. Rolfe mean much. We have known 
him personally for years and he is a most careful man, one who 
always underestimates rather than exaggerates. 
A Splendid Florida Report 
Mr. E. W. Amsden, of Ormond, Fla., is an “old 
settler,” He said: “I bought from you in February 
5 pounds of Rhodes Grass seed. Owing to extreme 
dry weather it did not come up until after the mid¬ 
dle of April. I commenced cutting May 10th and 
kept it up every three weeks until September 1st, 
when I mowed a ton of good hay from the half 
acre. This was planted on land within 80 yards of 
the ocean beach, land that I never supposed would 
grow white beans. I have owned this land 30 years 
and never considered it worth clearing up. 
E. E. Evans, Mercedes, Texas, said: “I will want 
for October sowing about 125 pounds Rhodes Grass. 
It has proved the most satisfactory hay maker ever 
introduced in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It has 
not failed to produce one ton per acre per month. I 
will sow it in my alfalfa field so that it will soon 
consist of Rhodes Grass only.” 
Mr. J. J. Thorber, Botanist of the Agricultural 
Experiment Station of Arizona, says: “I have had 
Rhodes Grass under observation for several years. 
It succeeds beautifully in our heavy clay, loam soils 
and even in sandy or gravelly soils. Its growth is 
marvelous under our conditions.”^ 
We do not recommend-Rhodes Grass for fall sow¬ 
ing in the Central South, but for Florida and Gulf 
Coast section it is safe. Sow 8 to 10 pounds per acre. 
Special Rhodes Grass Circular 
If interested, ask for our special circular on Rhodes 
Grass, which goes into this subject more fully than 
is possible in this catalogue. 
Quarter pound package, 35c; pound, 
r $1.00; pospaid. By express or freight, 
not prepaid, 10-pound lots or over about 75 cents per 
pound, \yrite for our best quantity price when 
read,v to buy. 
eiJOCFCC ‘‘We have been using Hastings’ Seeds for 15 
years and have never been disappointed 
with the results.”—Mrs. Lillye B. Pettus, Pulaski County, Arkansas. 
Hauling In Rhodes Grass Hay (Fellsmere, Florida) 
