The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-24
ALAnAMA.s VIEW oROP.
Farmers Gathering Bushels of Grain
Frnn sNnmp Cnne.

rom ~nAAnE
An article in the Morning News Of last
Friday taken from the Columbus Her
aid. gave a description OF remarkable
phenomenon which has developed in Rus
sell county. Alabama. just across the line
from Columbus The phenomenon con-
sists IN the seeding up OF the common
swamp canes which are so well known all
over the south The swamps OF the south
are filed with such canes and they grow
all the way from knee high 10 the 0rdi-
nary fishing pole size, this being the same
cane so generally made use Of in this sec
ton for fishing poles.
Mr.. John p. Turner OF Columbus. who
presided over the sessions OF the druggists
convention in savannah this week.
brought a sample of this prodigy Of nature
with him. which he presented TO the
Morning News. The sample consists Of
about three feet OF the top of an ordinary
reed cane. the whole filled with little heads
Of grain. having the appearance Of heads
Of wheat or rye. There are over one hun
dred small heads on the stalk 1t was
cut before the grain was fully matured, so
that the grains would not fall out. but
Mr. Turner has a sample Of the matured
seed also which Dee brought for the purpose
- NNN-++RAAAAiS AN 4AaH bA0AAAEA =. II q
has taken trouble to post himself on the
subject of this Phenomenon. and though
he is still in the dark to a certain extent
concerning IL, he IS able 10 give some very
interesting Information about it,
only people born and raised in the
south, said Nj Turner. "can compre-
bend the remarkable character OF this
phenomenon. Never before in the memory
OF the oldest fraf fa-
, occurred. nor is there any record OF such
a thing having ever occurred before. Along
Hatehechubbee creek. in Russell county
for distance of several miles the reeds
or the swamps have gone to seed. II is
not mere scattering production, but there
Is simply big crop of reed seed in the
area named. There are thousands Of bush
els or II, some say millions of il The
LaIHleIA nave realized its value and are
Satheilng II by the hundreds of bushels
SOCK eat II greedily. The seed have very
imnluch the appearance and taste Of oats
Le iuterlor OF the grain is a white
stdIchy substance. 1t is pleasant to the
taste ana apparently there is no reason
human beings 0VN 4O'
The new product is the wonder of all
tnat section of country. The farmers are
ANXIOUS TO learn something of the cause of
tle phenomenon. II they could make a
regular thing of the reed yield 1t would be
H.
OF securing some light on the subject I
sent sample OF the cane with the seed TO
IroI. l.. +. Sayre of the University of
Kansas a distinguished botanist In his
reply Prof. Sayre defined the specimen sent
MN as the "arundinar1a macrosperma -
ms, he says. is a polygamous plant
ana may not always fertilize fully in Ger
tam quiet localities OF the genus arundi-
nara You VIII see an account in the report
OF the department of agriculture at Wash
ington ID. c., entitled Grasses and Forage
RANTS OF the United States page 78 The
arundinaria tesla there mentioned blooms
AFTER ten 10 thirty years of deyelopf1ent .
Iruit bearing period lasting one 10 three
years, the plant then dying; propagation
from rootstalk II Is probable the plant
you nave here fruiting Is one that has very
long intervals of development: possjblv a.
much as thirty years elapses before IL
mowers and fruits. If this be the case its
utlhty as a plant for economic purposes
may be doubtful"
Mr.. Turner does not think seed planted
from the cane Will develop as he does not
DeheVe the grain TO be perfect develop
ment. He thinks that in some unusual
manner the reeds became fortified with
pollen from some other plant and the re-
sui y the heavy harvest of seed. He ad-
Inlts that II would be a wonderful thing for
the south If some means OF fertilizing the
cane so as to secure annual crOps could he
discovered, but Is doubtful Of its POSSIBLE
ity. There are millions of acres In the
south covered with reed cane, and If some
into bearing It would prove one Of the
greatest blessings that Providence ever
conferred upon this section. Halt of Chat
ham county could be planted in it, includ-
ing the abandoned rice plantations. 1t
seems that the attention OF the department
of agriculture at Washington should GER
tainly be called to this phenomenon and a
thorough investigation requested.