Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-02-09
LESPEDEZA AS A SUB.
STITUTE FOR COTTON

greatest legumes, Is the title or an
interesting article prepared for the
Lespedeza Seed Growers Cooperative
Assn, Inc, by DR.. R. E. Lewis, Bains,
Louisiana, a prominent farmer who
is specializing in the growing OF this
profitable crop.
While the name, Lespedeza, was
supposed to have been given this
plant by botanists in 1900; 1t was not
until 1880 that it received the atten-
ton its merits warrant, as a COM
mercial farm product, under tha de-
velopment of Col. J. B. McGehee, OF
Laurel Hill, Louisiana, wro recogniz-
ed its value as a feed for farm AMI
mails and as soil builder, and who
sang its praises for years. Its place
in southern agriculture Is due largely
to Col. McGehee, says DR.. Lewis.
Lespedeza is an annual, maturing
it's seed in the fall, which shatter
readily and reseed the ground for the
coming year. Normally, these seeds
which shatter off at maturing time re-
main dormant until the warmth and
moisture germinate them. 1t is the
practice to plant from February 10
to May !.
The stems and branches OF the
Lespedeza plant are slender and the
leaves small but very numerous. A
good crop will grow to the height Of
Is to IS inches, and on fertile soils
30 inches is not unknown. 1t is esti-
mated that a good stand Of Lespedeza
will represent ton OF hay for each
G inches of its growth.
This plant will grow on almost any
of the types OF soil in the cotton belt,
but of course like most other plants
does best on, more fertile, well
drained soil. 1t is thought that no
plant is more suitable. to follow cot
ton, as Lespedeza brings the soil back
to its former state of fertility.
The custom Of seeding Lespc.lcZa
with oats has become more or less a
fixed habit among the producers, as
the oats, by virtue Of its shade keeps
down weeds and grasses and allow1
the Lespedeza to make rapid growth.
However, just as good crops can be
produced when the seed Is sown
alone; but seeding with oats has the
advantage Of giving the planter tao
crops from the same ground during
the year, with but one cost Of cultira-
ton. Experience indicates that ono
bushel of seed Us lbs.) per acre IL
about the right amount to be planted.
1t requires no incubation, as the
rough little jackets containing the
seeds carry enough from the fields
from which they are taken to insure
perfect incubation.
No special soil preparation Is nee
essary, although 1t has been demon
strated beyond q doubt that soils VOL
supplied with phosphates will pro-
duce the greatest growth.
Little need be said in favor Of Les
pedcza hay as a feed for all kinds OF
stock after looking at the following
comparative analyses: Timothy con-
tains 2S percent protein, 2S.3 percent
rb0h Jrot nd narpant fat9
I.espedeza. contains 7.6 percent pro-
tein, 31.0 percent carbohydrates and
1.S percent fats. AS compared with
other legune hays it has the advan-
tage of being free from woody growth.
permitting its entire consumption
and is free from the extreme laxa-
tive properties which make some le1
gume hays undesirable for work
stock.
When used as a pasture with other
grasses 1t helps to make balanced
ration and should be found IN every
pasture in the South, thinks DR.. Lew
is. AS a soil builder it ranks with =
other legumes.
The Lespedeza Seed Growers Co
operative Association, Inc, of Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, has done much in
the way Of standardizing the seed and
seed prices, also in disseminating in
formation in connection with the
best known methods OF cultivation
and harvesting. According to reports
sent out from the office Of the Asso-
citation, orders for more than one
third of the seed pooeld have been
received. This was on January %,
1922, at which time the seed market
had hardly opened.