Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-06-07
japan Glover.

| Japan Glover
| useful plant IN some place and under
| some circumstances, whose origin is an
| unsolved problem appeared in South Caro-
lima nearly thirty years ago. 1t was given
| the nsme Japan Glover, no one knows
Why, but it is supposed because some per-
| sons believed that the seed had been
| brought from Japan in some manner and
| had been sown accidentally. The DO
| tanical name of the plant is Les pedez "a
| strata. Several species of this genus,
| Lespedezs, are common in the south, but
none is of any use except this one. The
| gums belongs to the legumipous family,
| to which the clover belongs, but has no
| claim to the name clover except that it has
triplicate leaf. The spt cies referred t.
| attracted no notice until after the war or
| 1861 IS, when it was said to have follow
| ed in the track of Sherman's cavalry.
| CHS is quite possible, for the plants may
| have been grazed by the horses and the
seeds dropped and scattered widely in
| the dung as the army spread over the
| country. And also the conditions follow.
| ing the war were well calculated to en-
| courage the spread of this plant, which
| was left ungrazsd for want of stock, and
so seeded profusely and spread abund-
| antly from place to place. 1t varies very
| much in character. As the writer knows
| it and has seen il, it is scattered aud
never forms close heritage; it spreads
| on the surface and does not stand erect;
| it is untouched by any animal, and even
| the omniverous hslfstarved swine pass
| it by. But so many persons in localities
give it an entirely opposite character
| that it must be admitted in some locsli-
| ties, it is exceedingly valuable as a graz
| ing plant. 1t grows on the poorest old
fields and rapidly covers the surface,
| spreading TO the adjoining woods, in
which it also grows vigorously, and forms
in both the open fields and woodlands
accep tsole pasture the whole summer. 1t
is nutritious and quickly brings stosk of
all kinds in good condition, and although
it is an annual, it produces enough seed,
and enough of 1t escapes digestion and
is scattered over the surface to renew the
growth year after year, until the old fields
have recovered sufficient fertility to pro-
duce auother series of crops. 1t is en-
phaticslIy great boon granted by "a
rure to the poor farmer, by which, if he
will return the gift by enterprise and in
dustry, he may start on progressive
career of prosperity.
This plant is curious instance of ad-
sp'stion of natural agencies to the ameIi-
orstion and improvement of the human
race. The South, exhausted by the sever
tiles of an unexampled strife, was reduc-
ed to extremity so far as agriculture was
concerned. This industry has been pro
strateG, az the means to raise 1t at once
we're not in existence. Then this plant
appeared and suddenly covered the waste
fields with verdure and means of pro-
lection and renovation. Is has no doubt
helped considerably in Fastening the re-
storation of the agricultural industry of
the south to lis present productive con-
dition, and making crop of 100000
bales of cotton possible. 1t has enabled
many farmers to treble their live stock,
and thus lay / asis for still further i'm
-vement. But 1T is scarcely plant 20
deserve a permanent place IN the agricuit-
ure of the south, because 1t is only make-
shift to per Petutste the Improbable and
undesirable system of exhausting the
fields and throwing them out OF cuitIvs-
ton FOR a series of years. 1t Is more
useful plsnts than the prevalent brown
sedge, but is by no means as Variable as
the common crab grass or BERN uds grass,
which takes possession of the land late
in the season and makes the best of hay
and pasture 1t has no place IN any es-
tablished rotation of crops, but Is weed
of which the southern fields produce sew
eral kinds that are quite as vaiusbie II
turned to use. 1t may be sovn and Is
sown in some places, and there Il COM