The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-03-24

IueH III is very SWEEP anu tcHUOi3 Oh"
easily cured as hay. 1t can be cut
every five or six weeks, yielding in
creasing crops by its throwing out
stools, until it is killed down by frost.
Similar in habit, and affording crops
of the same nature, is the Sorghum
halepense, Improperly called Guinea
grass. 1t is a perennial, and where
it has taken hold with its large, feshy,
creeping root stalks, it is hard to get
rid OF. Extensive trials with this
grass have been made in this state,
where it is called Johnson grass, and
it has proved to yield crops OF great
abundance, as it can be moved half
a dozen times during the season."
In his letter, Mr.. Mohr says that
the true Guinea grass (Panicama) is
preferred over the other for that
Gulfregion; also that much confusion
arises from both being called Guinea
grass. 1t is difficult to save seeds of
this Panicum, owing to their ripen-
ing few at a time and falling as soon
as ripe; but it is propagated readily
by pieces of the root, which can be
scattered along a furrow and covered
with a plow or hoe. He considers
this grass a most important addition
to the forage plants OF the lower
south. 1t requires very little fertil-
ling Of the soil, and withstands
drouth remarkably. The roots will
not endure freezing, but in the eli
mate of Alabama frost seldom pene-
trates the ground deep enough to
reach many of the roots.
OF the Para grass, Mr.. Mohr had
no personal knowledge until the past
season, and at the time of writing he
bad not determined its specific name,
only that it is species of Pa'aicu,1a,
from South America. His impress.
sions as to its growth and value are
quite favorable. 1t seems to be
specially adapted to moist and Doggy
soils, and where it once gains foot
hold in such places, its extension is
quite rapid, and the yield of forage
immense. Its stems are apt to be
somewhat decumbent, taking root at
the points; differing in this respect
from the Guinea grass and johnson
grass. 1t grows to the height of
four to six feet, and the leaves and
stems are sweet and succulent, much
relished by cattle. 1t does not
bloom or produce seed until late i'll
the season. Its propagation thus far
has been by pieces OF the roots.
A correspondent of THE FLORIDA
AGRICULTURIs says the Para grass
will also grow on dry uplands, and
make a handsome turf if cut early
and often. On rich and moist lands
the stalks reach ten or fifteen feet in
height when going TO seed, and then
fall over and strike root at the joints,
from which fresh shoots spring up,
if not stopped by frost, forming a
tangled mass below, and crowding
out all other forms OF vegetation.
Mr.. Codrington in his letter TO me,
says he believes both the Para and
Guinea grass will do we'll at the
north, if the roots are taken up in the
fall and stand till spring, then planted
on good soil. He has seen the Guinea
grass used for permanent pasture
with perfect success in the " est In
dies. Mr.. Codrington dislikes the
johnson grass on accoun: OF his be.
lief that it is exhaustive to the soil,
and its difficulty OF eradication, but
these objections have little weight
with Mr.. Post and others who have
had experience with it. 1t is prob
able that it will also endure more
frost than either OF the species OF
Panicuns.
Mr.. Arthur Taylor Of Watson,
Atchison county Mo-, Las grown the
johnson grass successfully the past
two seasons. He was the first, | be.
lieye, to give it the name of "Green
Valley grass" in this country, having
been told that it bore that name in
the West Indies, from where he I'M
derstood it had been introduced into
Texas. He sent me roots of it the
past spring, with the request that |
would try and find out its true name
and history, which ! did. He writes
me, ii is found quite valuable in
Western Missouri, the winters only
killing the upper roots, leaving
enough alive below to renew the
crop. He thinks it can be grown
with advantage as far north as Ohio,
as 1t would be an easy matter to
pillow up wagon load of roofs, in
the fall, and store them in pit or
cellar, like potatoes until spring;
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