Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-22
TeOsinte.

Teosinte is bOtanIcally called Euchl@na
luXurians. Another botanical name by
which 1t WAS known at one time is Reana
luXurians. 1t is native of Central
America, growing from the sea coast to
considerable altitude. A large number Of
stems spring from one root, and in trOpl-
cal regions these stems often attain a
height of Is feet. The stems bear large
number Of broad, cOrn-like leaves. which
are ? to feet long, The grass has been Gull
tivated in Australia with great success.
+. M. Bailey, a Queensland botanist,
states that the plant may be cut several
times through the season, and that it is
destined to be more valuable than corn,
sorghum, or any other known plant. 1t
has been tried In various places within
the United States, but will not mature
seed unless in the most southern portions,
In the American AgTiCUituTJSt, for 1880,
Prof. Asa Gray, the well-knowl bontan-
list, states as follows:
''The director of the botanic garden and
government plantations at Adelaide,
South Australia, reports favOrably Of this
strOng-growing, corn-like forage plant
that the prevailing dryness did not ipjure
the plants, which preserved their healthy
green, while the blades of'other grasses
suffered materially. The habit of throw
ing out young shoots is remarkable, 90 or
-
err north, at Palmerston (nearer the
equator in the course of five or six
months the plant reached the height of II
TO IA feet, and the stems on one plant
numbered j6 The plants, after moving
down, grew again several feet in a few
days. The cattle delight in it in fresh
state, also when dry. Undoubtedly there
is not more prolific forage plant known;
but as it is essentially tropical in its
las hits thIa In XnrI1nf UFOWfh iG found in
tropical or suOtropical climates. The
chief drawback to its culture with US
will be that the ripening OF the seed crop
will be problematical, as early frosts will
kill the plant. To make the TeOsinte a
most useful plant in Texas and along our
whole southern border, the one thing
needtul is to develop some towering va
rieiies, SO as to get seed before frost. And
this could be done, without doubt, # some
one in Texas or Florida would set about
it. What it has taken ages TO do
in the case of Indian corn, in an I'M
conscious way, might DO mainly done in a
human lifetime. rightly directed care and
vigorous selection"
Mr.. John 5. Erwin, of Huntsville, No.,
has been experimenting with this grass
for two years, and thinks it is the most
extraordinary, if not the most valuable
forage plant ever introduced into this
country. In the spring of 1894 ne pro-
cured few seeds which be planted in
one row, two seeds to hill, the hills
feet apart. Some of the hills weighed 81
pounds when cut Got. Is }, and % pounds
when dry. In the spring of 1880 he plant
ed III hills, 4 feet apart each way. Some
hills weighed Al pounds when cut, and
these not under favorable circumstances.
This would give product of So tons per
acre, green, or 20 tons dry, and he thinks
it would be possible to raise that yield so
per cent. According to an analysis by
the chemist of the Department Of Agri-
culture, the Teosinte is 80 per cent. richer
in oil and albuminoids than clover. All
kinds of stock are fond Of 1t. For silos
there is certainly nothing else that can
equal it.-RurdL WOrLd.