The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-06-25
BEGGAR WEED, OR DEsMoDIUm,


----.e. e.-
BEGGAR WEED, OR DEsMoD1UM.
For several years past new forage plant
has been attracting the attention of farmers
in certain distiots of Florida, South Caro-.
lima, Georgia and Alabama, and all who
have put it to the test of culture are loud
in its praise as a most valuable acquisitions
Originally it was known for common as
"BcSSar's Lice" but some who do not seem
to regard the last word in the namc as stand
ing entirely in keeping with the refinement
and modcsty of the age, have dropped il
and substituted "Wecd;" therefore the plant
now usually goes by the common name of
either "Bcggar's Lice or Bcggar Weed. :"
The plant under consideration is Dcs.
n,odium, and hence Dcsr,odium is the name
by which it ought to be known for com.
mon. OF course, | need net argue the
point as to why. The common names most
generally applied are meaningless andYri
uious in the extreme, while Dcsmodium IS
the correct scientific name, the generic name
by which it is known scientific people
throughout the civilized worli. Then. it
means something, being formed from the
Greek signifying "bound," which refers to
tho manner in which the seeds arc bound
together.
There are at least twenty species of Des.
modlum native to the Southern United
States. They class with the Lrgumiuosic.
and all are more or less valuable as feed for
stock. The species under cultivation, rs
already mentioned, is known to botanists as
Dcsmo0ium moIr, a name given to it by
De Condollc. 1t is Indigenous to Middle
l. 10
any Of the adjacent States DR.. Chapman
describes it in his "Fora Of the Southern
States as follows:
"Stcm tall, much braachcd, softly pubcr
cent; leaflets rhombic or cliptical, obtusc
and often cmarsinatc, tomcntosc beneath
rough above; raccmcs panclcd, slender
flowers, two or three together, on slender
pcdicles leSumc nearly sessile black the
small joints oval or rhombic, equally con
mex en- both suturcs. Stem three to five
feet high. Leaflets three to four inches
long. Legumc one inch long, pcndulous. -
Rendered into plain farm talk this would
mean that the plant grows to from three to
five feet in height, taking upon itself a
branching or punching habit something
like that of the cotton plant. 1t is covered
with soft, downy hairs. The leaflets are
oval or oblong, rather blunt at the cxtrcm.
lty and notchcd they are downy beneath
and rough above. Flowers three or four
together IN loose bunchcs Seeds. blackish
hanging IN string jointcd together, but
easy OF separation. They are somcwha,
half moon shaped. and. being covered with
sharp hooks, they readily attach thcmsrlvc.
to ones clothes and become scparatcd from
each other or from the parent plant &C.
l speak with confidence as to the species
OF DeSmodIum under cultivation in consc.
quencc OF the fact that have been study.
ing it carefully for scvcra! years. Both
plants and seeds have been sent to me for
Identification from Florida, Georgia and
Alabama, by persons cultivating it as for.
age crop, and in every instance have read.
NY recognized the specimens us Dcsmodium
nto(le. Some writer's have mentioned the
"BegSar Weed as Dcmo1iun, cahcsccus,
but this was, | am satisfied, an entire mis-.
take, Tor CancsccnS, one Of our most com.
mon species, would not be at all suited for
cultivation
@h EsffEfGfS Su t. s Els 5o HeHo ps4sJRnss gf JRs~s ss
pcrlGncc with the crop, though / am rather
OF the opinion that it is decidedly worthy
81 cuitivatl m 1t is closely related to the
c'overS, and may be correctly rcckoncd as
one OF the 'air,iccdcrs' This bcin" tho
case 1t would, in all probability be valu.
able crop to turn under for the purposc oi
cnrIch'n% the soil | know it will crow
quite well on soil comparatively thin. For
iccding to stock green it is excellent and
under proper management, il is said 10 WELD
a",spis"dId dry feed or hay. If sown for
TINS last named purpose it should be nut in
quite thIck, else the stalks will grow too
coarse aud woody to answer well as bov
TOMATOES Az GRATIN.- Dip the tomo.
to"' IN hot water, and peel them cut them
10 !,ali; rub baking tin with garlic but.
Ter Il, lay the tomatoes in it side by side
ana MI each half with the following comno
Sii N: Two parts of bread crumbs. one mart
m">hFonns fiucIy minced. a little parsley
ch'PP"d hue /; pepper aud salt to taste mt
sI"Ii piece Of butter on each. BAKE for
ten or fifteen minutes and serve.
Firm Of wood growers in Webb county
J. A'' have recently y purchased a tract Of
o"".oOo acres OF laud, bordering about
I" MY miles along the Rio Grandr unor
W ID they intend to Craze about 200 600
: From flock of 35 900 head tbcv
"i~ year. on six months clip, realized
rIJ