The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-15
CONTINUED from page ID

efforts entirely which nave indue II
possible for us to get the rarer seeds
and to call our attention to the fodder
plants with which you were not
familiar. Our local conditions vary, so
that it was a matter of some stndy
as to how to distribute the SEEDS 10
the best advantage. Mr.. Smith ana
your secretary had to use their pest
Judgment as to the suitability of each
ranch for the seeds allotted. 1t is
hoped that each rancher Will Watch
these grasses carefully so that the as
ISOLATION as whole may later on have
the benefit of his experience with them,
A short description of these plants
and grasses may not be out of place
here.
1. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-
graecum) is the annual leguminous
forage plant of Algeria. 1t is sown
like alfalfa and irrigated. is cut and
fed in partially wi1ted condition
either alone or with Indian fig tour
prickly pear). Upwards of 100000
acres of Fenugreek are cultivated IN
Algeria. 1t is said to be of great value
for fattening cattle and sheep. A large
portion of the cattle for the Paris
market is fattened on this plant.
2. Sand Lucerne (Medicago medal.
This is a relative of alfalfa that thrives
on sand hills or barren sandy lands.
It probably will do well on sand hills
like those of Kahoolawe and west Mo-
lokai.
8. Spanish Sulla (Hedysarum coro-
narium). This is a leguminous plant
from to 5 feet high. 1t should be
sown like alfalfa and irrigated. 1t. is
grown in Sicily, Southern Italy and
Algeria.
4. Paspalum dilatatum. This is a
grass belonging to the same genus as
Hilo grass (Paspalun conjugatum).
It is essentially a pasture grass, but
when irrigated it grows sufficiently
tall to be cut for fodder. It is pro-
! life seeder and stands drought espe-
! cially WE'LL Under local conditions it
! has kept green when the manienie
around it, has been yellow. The roots
] are easily separated for planting out
and if the weather is moist the roots
| will take such firm hold in a week $
/; time that animals cannot pull them
! out The grass stands heavy pastur-
! ing. When heavily pastured the seed
<
fruit even when the grass itself is eat
en- right down. 1t is said that the grass
does not get hard and sour and that
it is suited to all kinds OF soil. The
stock papers of the mainland have
much to say nowadays about the
value of this grass. Apparently, it is
second to none for ranch purposes. Il
may be obtained in quantity from the
leading seed dealers.
5. Mitchell Grass (Astrebleg pecti
natal. This grass made a name fol
itself in Australia, which is its home
during the long drought there. It i.
said that it is the only grass which
came through that distressing time
with any credit to itself 1t is a rang,
grass and it is hoped will find itself suit
ed to our dry, hot lowlands.
g. Florida Beggar Weed Oesmodi
UNI tortuosum) This fodder plant i
related to Spanish clover and being
self seeder ought to do well on gu
lower ranges
IAN annual leguminous plant, in
digenous to Florida and the Gul
States, extending into the West IN
dies and tropical America. This i
undoubtedly one of the very best Tor
age plants for those portions of tn
United States where it grows. TIL
| stems are tail. and. if grown at con
I siderable intervals are woody, Du
where seed is scattered thickly I'VE
l the ground the entire plant can be con
verified into hay or ensilage. FIor;dt
! beggar weed springs up naturally il
| fields wherever the ground has bee
| disturbed, about the middle of June
and natures a crop in seventy-two I
eighty days On sterile clay soils il
the vicinity of Washington, D. C
= heggar weed grows to feet high. L
the rich, moist, sandy fields along tn
Gulf of Mexico it grows from 6 to l
feet high. Horses, cattle, and mule
are very fond of it Beggar- weed ha
contains about q per cent of crud
! protein. At a yield of 10 tons, tn
| amount of fertilizers contained in
: crop yielded by one acre has been es
timated at: Potash, so pounds; phos
phoric acid, $50 pounds. and ammonia
= 400 pounds. It viii be seen from tbi
| that as renovator of worn soils, Q
as green manure. no better or cheap
er fertilizer can be added to a feel
| than TO turn under a rank growth O
beggar weed. The tap roots descen
deeply into the soil. bringing up min
eral fertilizers from the subsoil whic