The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-05-03
To the ''KanSas Inquirer

To the ''KanSaS Inquirer.
Editor of The Florida Agriculturist:
Casting about for subject, my eye
has fallen on the inquiries OF W. H.
Larimore of Girard, Kansas; and
having passed through that State,
while it was in it's "bloody days"
1861-5, and again in '72-75 on my
way to and from New Mexico, no
less than nine times; Mr.. LIS letter
has interested me, and though you,
Mr.. Editor, have asked J. H. Foster
to reply; perhaps something a little
further south than Tangerine, may be
acceptable. My crossings have been
IN every month between March and
October and 1 have felt the cold,
the heat, the drought, the wind, and
summer showers; and must say l
want no more such, when | know OF
region free from all those extremes.
CASSAYA,
belongs to the order of eophorbalo,
and known by the botanists as JGtro-
211ans 0a0aaihotS. The plant resembles
the castor bean of the same great
family, but the leaves are deeper cut,
and smaller. The seed pods of these
nuts grow singly, and the kernel is a
sweet nut. There are two varieties,
the sweet and bitter. The sweet, is
eaten by all domestic animals, in the
raw state. The bitter, contains a
poisonous acid juice, which is re-
moved by heat. Only the sweet is
grown in this portion of the State.
It is grown in any dry soil OF fair
fertility, by planting cutting of the
stem. To plant it the ground should
be plowed as tor corn, and shallow
tnrraws strpck ahcSt thraRI end 4
I aparC, hills two 90 Three feet apart IL
row. l have heard that it could be
used at any time of season, but have
no experience on that point. L
planted in February, the strongest
plants may do to "pull" in August OF
September, but the stalks will be
hard to keep for cuttings until mex,
planting time. So far as / know, il
is not grown north of Southern
Georgia.
GRASSES.
l can learn OF no trials of tim.
othy, blue grass, or red clover
Alfalfa, I hear, dies out during oul
granny seaaon," commencing May
June, OF July, and ending August
September, or October). Bermuda
grass (sIightly resembling the variety
of buffalo grass which spreads by
"rurners" like strawberry on fair
land, will make nice pasture.
Stock are exceedingly fond OF it. But
on poor land it don't produce enough
forage to make it pay. 1t blooms,
but produces no seed. We have TWO
varieties distinct botanically and in
general appearance. The fine Ber-
muda is a nice lawn grass but has an
annoying habit when it comes to an
extra rich spot, of sending its runners
beneath the surface; now, if this "rich
spot" happens to be small flower
bed cut in the lawn, the lover of
flowers might as well retreat at once
from an endeavor to have flowers on
th.t bed, tor even more than "eter>
na} vigllence" will be the "price"
paid for what he may obtain. On
my six feet width Of path leading
from house to lake, have this grass.
The ordinary poverty ofsoil with the
tramping, so dwarts it that it is only
about half an inch high, simply holds
the sand together making a nice green
solid path, even in dryest weather;
but on each side l have a row of fban,
anas some three feet from the path,
these we had tertilized each with a
circle OF "cow-chips" dug in. Dur
ing the busy stage Of pioneering
our first year, we neglected to cons
troll the edge of our path, and the
grass got foot hold among these
"chips' and we have had hard bat.
tie to save our bananas, and in the
digging around the plants after these
under ground runners, the roots of
the former have been so mutilated
that they have been set back at least
six months. If any reader is having
similar trial, Iwould say, take it on