Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 154, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 June 1919 — KUDZU: New Forage Plant [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

KUDZU: New Forage Plant

By Robert H. Moulton.

the many scientific A discoveries brought about by the war is the fact that in kudzu, a leguminous plant, this country posSt sesses one of the hardiest and most valuable forage Qw plants known. Indeed, this j remarkable vine seems desj—4- tined to become one of the leading sources of ■■■■■J wealth in certain sections of the United States. Especially is this true of the southern states, w’here the slow development of agriculture has been due in large measure to the lack of good nutritious pastures and of roughage that”lasts throughout the entire year. While kudzu is by no means a new plant, it was only a year ago that any extensive experiments Were made with lt^the number of farms on which it was grown was insignificant. In fact, it appears not to have been studiously cultivated anywhere until a Florida man made- the accidental discovery that his live stock seemed to prefer it to any other kind of forage plant and that they waxed fat upon it. As this was at a time when the high cost of feed forced many farmers to reduce the dally allowance of their animals, he hastened to plant a number of acres to fcudzu, with the most satisfactory results. Builds Up Poor Land. It was not only as. a feed for his farm animals that he discovered virtue in the plant, however. He found thtji, by reason of its power of extracting nitrogen from the air through the. medium of the bacteria on its roots and adding this essential element to the soil, it quickly built up poor and worn-out land, making It fertile and productive. In this respect he believes It even superior to clover, alfalfa and other leguminous plants. Last season he made the best corn ever grown In Florida, averaging 50 bushels to the acre, on land that the season before had been planted to kudzu, and this without any fertilizer whatever. What made the experiment more interesting was the fact that this land previously never produced a good crop of any sort, being considered practically worthless. All this came about as the result of a few vines which had been planted on the lawn of his home for ornamental purposes. Kudzu makes a beautiful growth, the leaves being of a dark green, and is one of the fastest growers known, producing a dense shade in a very short time. On the lawn of this. Florida man it was grown to cover a summer house. So rapid was Its growth. In fact, that after the second year he grubbed it out as something of a nuisance, because the vines trailed all over the fawn, making it impossible to keep the growth confined to the summer house. *» . ■ ■_ -

The three roots so dug up were thrown on a trash pile in one corner of the yard, with the idea that, since it wanted to run on the ground, it would grow and conceal the trash pile. It not only did this the first season, but continued to reach out until it covered all the adjoining fences, finally reaching the barn lot, w’here the family horse was kept. According to its owner, the horse literally wore his mane off reaching under the bars of the fence for the vine, while the neighbors’ cattle and hogs continually broke through the fence to get it. Becoming alarmed, lest the plant be poisonous, the- owner of the horse sent some of it to the department of agriculture for an opinion. On learning from this source that kudzu had no poisonous properties that were known of, he began Investigating and experimenting, with the result that it was found by repeated analyses to contain an average of 17 per cent of protein, in one instance the percentage being 19.82. The average percentage of protein in alfalfa is 14.3 per cent. On a' measured space 30 feet square he cut during one season at the rate of 11 tons cured hay at four cuttings. This, however, was an exceptionally favorable season, there being no late frosts, and the first cutting was ready May 1. The second cutting was made June 11,‘ the third the last of July, and the fourth early in September. While it is not claimed that kudap will make four cuttings every season, nor yield 11 tons per acre at a cutting it is believed that a safe estimate is from two to three cuttings, with a yield of from four to six tons per acre, anywhere that the plant may be grown under favorable circumstances, and experiments have proved that it is perfectly hardy alj over the United States, enduring, the winters as far north as Nova Scotia. Needed in the South. What ls° needed in the South especially, is a forage that stock can live and keep -fat on the year around. There are many valuable cultivated crops that make Immense yields, but their period qf mature life is short, making frequent plantings necessary in order to have a complete succession. The velvet bean, for Instance, is an all-sea-son crop, but it is not ready to feed until November. The cowpea r soy bean, and the various sorghums and millets are good forage crops, but all must be planted in succession and cultivated for best results. Furthermore, In the case of crops that must be harvested before feeding, the farmer has only a few days in which to get it in its prime condition, something that is impossible if rains are frequent Again, all the legumes, with the exception of kudzu, are open to objection through dropping their leaves and shattering while •curing and harvesting. '"And a heavy rain on them, or

any of the grasses, hays or fodders during the period of curing means serious” injury if not complete ruin. Kudzu's Hardy- Qualities. \ Kudzu, however, possesses none of these disadvantages,— O»e planting lasts for. many years and it may be cut or pastured at any time during the season, in north Florida, from about tfee middle of April until frost comes. And where there is a growth left in the ground, stock will feed on it all winter. . Stock, in fact, have been known to eat the dead leaves and vines which have lain out and weathered Until March, when it was hauled in for bedding, In preference to the best hay that could be bought. The vines do not bloom or bear seed, and its roots penetrate the soil deeply, for which reason fhey remain green and full of life during the entire growing season. Accordingly, the hay can be cut any time when weather conditions are suitable for curing hay, as kudzu Is not Injured i>y waiting for good weather as other hay crops are. In fact, even if kudzu isf thoroughly soaked during the curing period, it will afterwards show little effect of wetting. Most people might think that, because kudzu is a vine, it must be very difficult to cut and handle it as a hay crop. On the contrary, experience has shown that it is no more trouble to cut or handle than a heavy crop of red clover, Mexican clover, crabgrass, or any other hay that makes a matted growth, while it is much easier to handle than either cowpea or velvet bean hay. Unlike the cowpea and velvet bean, kudzu is anchored to the ground every few. inches, and so the vines cannot drag ahead of the mower blade, as in the case of'peas and beans. - Kudzu should be propagated by means of the rooted plants, for when these plants are removed to new fields they carry with them the bacteria, on the tubercles of their roots, which are necessary to inoculate the new soil in order to secure the best results. When the plant becomes well established it needs no further cultivation, being able to control native weeds and grasses without assistance. The roots live for many years and do not require replanting after the first season. The proper time for planting kudzu is'two or three weeks in advance of corn planting, or a little earlier if one can get the ground ready. A full crop of corn may be grown on the same land during the first year by simply dropping the grains between the plants. Neither crop will interfere with the other and both need about the same attention. The ground, however, be left smooth and level at the last cultivation to permit easy rooting of the vines*or runners and subsequent mowing for hay. After the first year the kudzu will not need any cultivation at all, as the vines will root at the joints, ,