The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-17
For the Dispatch.
Lespedezn Strata.


So MANY INQUIRIES are made Of the un-
ders!gned respecting this plant, the mode
of cultivating it, its adaptation to particu-
lar soils, climate, its productiyeness, ETC..
that it becomes impracticable' to answer
! them by private letters fully enough &c
! afford any satisfaction to those who propose
them. 1t is necessary, therefore, to resort
once more to the public press. l state a
few, with the answers to them:
l. Is it like red or white clover !? Not at
all in appearance; somewhat in habits. 1t
has no head like either Of them. 1t comes
nearer to lucern than to either Of them, yet
I, differs toto colo from even that.
t''@'2 2. Is it suited to our latitude, soil, and
climate? No doubt it 10 in a great measure,
though apparently not 30 well as to lower
: latitudes. believe it will pay we'll any
where south Of the middle States, psrticu-
SSIarly near the Atlantic coast in Virginia
and North Carolina. How it will answer
in more western longitudes-for it is we'll
known fact that the climate in these States
becomes more severe rs We recede from the
seals as yet hard to say. Time alone
can determine the point. That it will sue
= coed here there can be no question, for the
fest is patent to every man who has eyes in
his head and will open them to let the evil
dence of it in; nor is it to be supposed that
the cold can be increased to degree that
would materially affect it anywhere along
the parallels between which we lie.
8. What quantity of seed is required to
q theaacre That will depend upon other
, things. II the object is to get really full
stand the first year, SO as to make hay and
!" gather seed, it would require as much as
for red clover; but at the present high
price of seed, that will scarcely be thought
of by any one. A far better plan would be
! to SOW lightly the first year and let the plant
SOW its own seeds for the second, and the Sc
cond for the third. In this way, by the mid
die Of the third summer, o very thin sowing
3 at first would cover the whole ground 80 that
81 both hay and seed might be gathered from
= " IN the fall. From the way in which
I have seen this plant spreading itself l
.ee really believe that o single ounce Of good,
clean seed would answer the purpose on
almost any piece Of old field we'll prepared
a by pillow and harrow. At ali events, two or
i three ounces would. Mix the seed tho
roughly with one bushel Of damp ashes,
and SOW on one acre as you would
= wheat or oats. The plants will be very
Z sparsely set, and, consequently, have plenty
\ of room TO expand themselves. They will send
a down their immense tap-roots in the we'll
ipniyerizsd soil, and viii spread out their
branches, radiating in every direction, over
circles extending two or three feet in dia-
meter, and scattering their seeds by thou
sands for the next year. Which were the
best way, to SOW thinly over large area in
= this way, and let the plant do its own work
= or to SON very thiekly over small space
X at great expense for seed and then do the
work for itY Can there be question
Under some such plants as above described
] lately measured off three separate por
tons respectively one inch square. On on,