Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-05
FORAGE PLANTS
A Texas Newspaper Tells Of Things
Found in a Trip to New
Mexico.
GOOD FOR CATTLE AND SHEEP
Salt Bush Has Got a Start in Pecos Valley
Lands and Thrives in Alkali Soil
Where Other Things Suffer.
(Amarilla. Tex, Champion.)

(Anarilia, Tex, Champion.)
During recent trips to Carlsbad and
the san Juan mesa, we noticed several
new forage plants OF great value to cat
tie and Sheepmen. The first was near
Carlsbad, where we found the Austria
ance. The department Of agriculture at
Washington, two years ago, sent us this
variety of plant, and hence in cultivat-
ing it for experimental purposes we
know the plant at sight.
Taking a branch Of salt bush, we met
Captain c. b. W~illingham, of the Tur-
key Track ranch, who was in Carlsbad,
and asked him if he knew the name Of
but said that cattle and sheep would
eat it with avidity from September I'M
til frost kills it in the winter.
THE plant seems to thrive best in
kali. 1t is one of the plants brought
from Australia, designed to be used as
a forage plant on the semi-arid lands
of the west and southwest. 1t does not
cessfully cultivated, but if it once gets
firmly rooted in the Pecos valley on
lands not susceptible to irrigation it will
be of vast benefit in producing a very
live stock. And We believe that if the
government would SEM a few sacks Of
the seed to be scattered over the sand
flats and dunes of the valley, in a few
years the plant would rapidly spread
over vast areas of the country.
80 far as We know it is only grow
ing sparsely in a strip of country tribu-
tary to Carlsbad, about two miles wide
and thirty long. 1t undoubtedly will
grow much thicker on the land, as it is
a very thrifty plant when it natures
seed and becomes scattered in all direc-
tons. When we consider hat it is now
only four years since the first seed Of
this plant was sent out by the govern
ment, the spread is remarkable.
Another forage plant of untold
worth we discovered on the San Juan
mesa, neal the Miller brothers sheep
and cattle ranch. In looking for new
varieties of forage plants among the
wild flora Of that section we came
across a perfect specimen of Japan
clover. Further investigation in anoth-
er direction brought us to a very red,
sandy loamy piece of ground, which was
literally covered with young plants
from l to 10 inches high. We asked
young Mr.. Miller if he knew where the
plant came from, or if he planted it,
and he answered in the negative. But
he said that he had noticed it for the
first time last year, in various places,
but thought it to be only a worthless
weed. When told that it was one Of the
best forage plants for sheep he was as
tonished, and could hardly estimate its
worth. We are convinced that if for
this year the sheep can be kept from
eating it down, so that the seed crop
can be matured, in a few years it would
spread ove the entire San Juan mesa,
and from thence over the Pecos valley.
Japan clover is an annual; it's seed
terminates with the first rains in the
early summer, and it is a very rapid
grower, often throwing out branches 3
feet long, covering the ground with a
dense growth a foot or more deep. 1t
will thrive in land where grass will not
grow. and keeping green until late in
the fall, it affords good pasturage even
after being killed by frost.
Among other new forage plants no.
ticed in the Pecos valley we may men,
ton %alflaree. We do not know how to
spell the name, nor can we find it in the
dictionary at our command. The plant
is commonly called '%liree.' 1t is a ma
tive of California, and the first plants
several years ago. Eleven years ago a
train load Of sheep from the San
Joaquin valley of California was I'M
loaded at Midland, Tex. The seeds
dropped from the sleeps f1eeces COM
menced to terminate, and it has proved
a blessing to the range from Midland
to various parts of New Mexico. The
plants we saw last fall in the Pecos
valley were only few in number, but it's
power to spread is wonderful in the
extreme. The seed terminates in Sep
TENDER or October, and it makes a Wig
orous growth, affording rich, s%ucculent
pasturage for all kinds of live stock
during the winter months, If not killed
by excessive frost: in early spring 1t is
at its prime. This plant has now be-
come acclimated in the valley for a dis
lance of 200 miles north Of the south
line Of New Mexico. where 1t now
grows"
Thousands are TryiMg Il,
In order to prove the great merit OF
Ely's Cream Balm, the most effective cure
for Catarrh and Cold in Head, we have pre-