wild hay with grain. In this countiy when 
the fields of lucerne are in bloom, the 
air is resonant with the hum of myriads of 
bees that steadily gather honey from the tiny 
blossoms. 
The Yield. —After the first year the farmers 
cut anuually four crops and often a fifth—a 
small cron, perhaps frosted, but excellent for 
milch cows. A good piece of ground will gen¬ 
erally yield two tons to each cutting. Of 
coarse, that is over a general average, taking 
in all grades of land ; but eight tons each year 
to the acre are no unusual crop here. It must, 
however, be borue in mind that our lucerne 
fields are well irrigated, receiving at least two 
waterings tor each crop. 
Starting and Cultivation.— Experience 
has tanght us here that if the soil be good and 
smooth, it is best not to plow the ground, but 
when warm and moist—just nice for corn- 
sow the seed broadcast—about 15 pounds to 
the acre—harrow and cross harrow thorough¬ 
ly, and if too light, roll or brush it down. If 
the ground is plowed, it should, by all means, 
be rolled. The plants will be up iu about eight 
days, if all id right. As soon as the plants get up 
high enough to mow, the crop should be cut. 
This makes the plants stool and become more 
vigorous and strong. When in full bloom, 
the crop is mature for Lay. 
Lucerne will stand harder drought than any 
other cultivated plant. A large plant will put 
a tap-root down 10 feet or more; and yet 
no plant pays better interest for proper 
moisture. This crop does not imnoverish the 
Commence now—1880 is a good date to re¬ 
member. 
Almost any soil not absolutely wet is favor¬ 
able to the growth of the tree. Either as a 
shade for the windows of the dwelling or about 
the door, on the lawn or along the border of a 
carriage drive, they can be used with propri¬ 
ety. For the latter purpose dwarf trees of the 
flrstelass, worked on Mahaleb stocks are as de¬ 
sirable as the less vigorous trees of the second 
class. 
A Remedy tor the Pea Weevil.—A corres¬ 
pondent from Swoope’a Depot, Va., says, in an¬ 
swer to a late inquiry in Querist Dep't, that he 
has found a safe protection for his seed peas, in 
storing them in a strong-seeuted cigar box, or 
in placing a lump or two of gum camphor 
among them. 
Weevil in Peas. —For many years I have 
practiced pouring boiling water on peas before 
sowing, and letting them stay in the water 
over-night. They then come up quickly, and I 
am never troubled with the bothersome little 
bugs. M. E. A. 
SOME OF OUR LEADING GRASSES 
PROFESSOR W. J. BEAL. 
Drop Seed, Nimble Will.—Mulilrnbergin Diffusa. 
Tuis is a low grass, about eighteen inches 
high with slender, contracted, much branched 
panicles. These come out one after the other 
at any time during the latter part of summer, 
and blossom at different times. The grass Is a 
perennial and thrives on dry hills aud in shade 
or partial shade. The rhi/omas ruu and spread 
somewhat like June grass, only much less 
rapidly. The opinions as to its quality are 
various. The lower stems, after they begin to 
branch, soon become quite hard aud woody. 
The leaves are very thin, and, except the 
woody stem, the whole plant is very light. 
Stock seem to like the grass. The genus is 
named after Dr. Muhlenberg, an American 
botanist. There are five other species, per¬ 
haps more, in the United States. They re¬ 
semble each other very much in quality and 
appearance. In certain places, the writer has 
seen several of tlieso iu considerable quantity. 
Especially has he seen one species, M. Mexi- 
eana, three feet high, quite thick on rich river 
bottoms. Auother, M. sylvatica, is found in 
thin woods in the Northern States. Auother, 
M. glomerata, lias dense panicles, not unlike 
orchard grass in appearance, except that the 
panicles are ol lead color. It has frequently 
beeu collected on marshes and brought to me 
as a grass of great promise. Some call it wild 
timothy. The illustration gives a good idea of 
the first species named. The beginner will re¬ 
member that the panicles branch much, new 
or younger pauicles coming out from the 
sheaths of the leaves; that the roots-stocks 
branch and run; the leaves are thin aud light, 
the stems hard and wiry. There are but few 
grasses which eau be eoufouudcd with these 
species of Muhleubcrgia. 
Barnyard Grass, C'oek's-Foot Grass,—Paiiicum 
Crus-gall!. 
This is au aunual which varies much in ap¬ 
pearance, so much so that even very good 
botanists have labeled specimens under several 
different names. The flowers of some speci¬ 
mens have beards much larger than those in 
the illustration, while in other cases the 
beards are very short. The flowers of some 
plants are dark purple, others are deep clear 
green. This is a very rapid and rank grower, 
especially on rich, damp laud. Isolated plants 
scud out branches which run off quite obliquely, 
but when crowded they ruu up straight. The 
leaves, in good specimens, are half au inch or 
more in width, aud the whole plant often 
four or more feet iu bight. The culms, or stems, 
are branching at the base. This Is very common 
iu waste places, gardens and fields, where it is 
one of the prominent weeds. Stock are fond 
of it, as the stems aud leaves are succulent 
aud teuder. It may be used for soiling, though 
alfulla, red clover, rye, orchard grass, Iudian 
corn are doubtless better. This comes from 
Europe. 
DOURA, DHOURA OR DORA 
In your Issue of December 27th last, you 
give a picture of what you call Doura. To 
| me it seems more like one of the many varie- 
f ties of sweet Sorgo. No one would doubt its 
''j being of that family, either more or less sweet; 
___ but I should uot call it Doura. I would sooner 
v; think it to be Itnphee. Some of these sorts of 
J) Sorgo, as you say. are relished exceedingly by 
stock and the variety you describe is evidently 
a valuable one for that purpose. But if your 
.__ readers follow your advice aud send to a seed- 
IM] store for “a small quantity of the seeds of 
Doura," I think they will get what you call 
'// Egyptian Corn. At least that is tny experience. 
■/ As much as 15 or 20 years ago I received a 
package of seed (from the United States Agri- 
cT cultural Dcpratineut, I think) uuder the name 
of Dhonra corn, It was white and identical, no 
doubt, with what you describe as the Egyptian 
corn, A few days since I sent to a large seeds¬ 
man in Philadelphia for white Doura corn, 
and have received exactly the same thing. 
One year ago I applied to the Agricultural 
Department for Doura corn aud got the same 
thing, except that it was brown, under the 
name of Brown Doura. I had liked the white 
in other years after being well boiled, aud 
wanted it for edible purposes, but louud the 
broion unsatisfactory, and hence my applica¬ 
tion this year for the white. It is li_ed also by 
many when ground and made into mush and 
then fried, also for griddle cakes. There is no 
doubt that iu the Eastern countries a very large 
population subsist largely upon this grain, 
and it is being introduced very satisfactorily 
into the western aud drier portions of this 
State, and it endures til? dry seasons much 
better than Indian corn or indeed, almost any 
other grain. I had hitherto supposed—and do 
z not yet see, any need for changing my opin¬ 
ion—that Doura was a Sorgo with recurved 
/ heads, not very sweet, aud cultivated ouly for 
its seed. It generally does “ send up only a 
single stalk." Tile variety you pictured is 
probably a better forage plant, but I should 
not know under what name to call for it, unless 
I ordered it from the Rural Office. I would 
like to try it. W. Beckwith. 
Johnson Co., Kansas. 
[Remarks. —We did not recommend our read¬ 
ers to buy our variety of Sorghum of seedsmen 
indiscriminately; but of one firm ouly which 
had supplied us with the variety which we 
deem of so much value as a fodder plant. We 
cautioned our readers, indeed, against buyiug 
any of the sorts advertised as Doura, Dora or 
Dhoura, Brown and White Egyptian Corn, 
etc., in the expectation of obtaining the par¬ 
ticular kind which was raised at the Rural’s 
farm last year and to which we have always 
alluded. 
So far as we have thus far been able to ascer¬ 
tain, this kind of Sorghum will need a variety 
name. The Rural New-Yorker has con¬ 
tracted with a Southern farmer to raise several 
acres from seeds which we know to he of this 
particular sort. Unless the engaged crop 
should fail, it will be placed in our Free Dis¬ 
tribution for ISSO-’Si. The land has been pre- 
MUHLENBERGIA DIFFUSA. 
LUCERNE 
For the benefit to Rural readers I here give 
the results of 14 years iu the culture, uses and 
value of this plant. 
What it is good for.— The green plant is 
eaten readily by horses, cattle, sheep, goats, 
swine aud fowls. It is teuder, succulent and 
very valuable for feeding milch cows—greatly 
increasing the milk and giving a pure arti¬ 
cle free from any foreign and unpleasant 
taste or impurity. Cured for hay, it is equal 
to the best varieties cultivated, aud superior 
to the ordinary crops, insomuch that here, 
in the mountains, where the wild grasses 
are considered richer than the tame grasses 
of the States, the lucerne hay, without 
grain, is considered equal to feeding the 
FANICUM CRUS-GALLI.—FIG. 146. 
