The Florida agriculturist., 1905-12-20
Beggar Weed Used for Hay.

We find an account OF the use OF
"beggar weed" in the American Ag-
riculturist You will notice that the
writer calls it Meibomia purpurea, but
the department of agriculture, in
Farmers Bulletin No. Io2, gives the
botanical name as Desmodium tor
tuosum Prof. Bailey in the Cyclic
it the same name.
pedia of American Horticulture gives
We shall not attempt to decide
where doctors disagree but under
any name it is a valuable plant for
Florida farmers.
This plant is also known by the
common name of Florida clover. Bo-
tanically, it is Meibomia purpurea. 1t
belongs to the pulse family, the seed
being produced in pods. These break
up into Segments, each one of which
contains a seed. On account of the
small hairs on each of the segments,
they stick to ones clothing, and to the
fur of animals, as they pass by it;
hence the name, beggar weed. AT one
time it was despised weed, springing
up in the cotton fields after they were
laid by, and standing out in the rows
to pull the cotton out of the bOllS.
On account of its growing late in
the season, it was very difficult to
handle. With the advent of the new ag
riculture, it was found that this plant
once considered a curse to the farm
er, was one of his best friends. When
SOwn in the fields, or permitted to
come up as an after crop, it makes a
splendid lot of hay, which may be fed
off, or mown, cured and stored. Left
to itself in the field, it crowds out
noxiOus weeds and adds nitrogen to
the soil.
For agricultural purposes, it is
usually sOwn in the field, either during
the spring or early summer. 1t may
be SOwn when corn is plowed for
the last time, or SOwn broadcast, and
afterward narrowed in lightly, with
no further need of cultivation. In
this it has the advantage over COwpeaS
and velvet beans. Both of the latter
crops should be cultivated at least
once. If beggar weed is to be used as
dry hay, it is cut with a mower or
scythe in the usual way, and after be-
ing left in the field for one or two
days, according to the drying condi-
ton of the weather, it may be put into
cocks or hauled into the hay barns.
On account of its many large stalks,
it remains rather loose in the loft, and
dries out without molding After a
field has been sOwn, it will not have to
be reseeded if the proper precautions
are taken.
The crop may be pastured. In such
case the cattle should not be turned
onto it until it has reached cOnSidera-
Bile size, say about 20 to IL inches
high. Mature plants in rich soil will
often be or 8 icct tall. in pastures,
where the cattle keep it down. very
little seed natures. This, however,
is not a serious obstacle, as only Il
portion of the seed germinares the
first year. The remainder of the seed
appears to rest in the soil, and germ
mates the second year. Although the
crop may be rather uneven the first
year, much of the seed sticks to the
animals, and is distributed over the
field as they browse. This, in meas
ure, aids in securing an even stand
Beggar weed as a nitrogen gatherer
as soil enricher, and as a forage crop
may well and favorably be compared
with the red clover of the Northern
states, excepting that it makes no win
ter or spring pasture. 1t must be USED
in summer or fall