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Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA
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Pw« Kudzu, the New Forage Plant. Some time ago we received a request for information regarding the new forage plant kudzu. We have taken considerable time and trouble to se cure the desired information, having written to both the agiicultural de partment of the state college and to Washington, D.C. Prof. C. V. Piper, so well known in this state, now In the agncutural department at Wash ington, has sent us the information, which we glady print herewith. Kudzu is a large-leaved, woody, legumiuous vine, native to Japan, which grows with remarkable rapidity. It succeeds well in every part of the United States where it has been tried and grows in all kinds of soils. Where the summers are warm and moist it grows with great luxurance. It is a most excellent vine for arbors and porches, for whcih purpose it is grown in most of the southern cities. It succeeds well, however, as far north as Nova Scotia The leaves resemble in a general way, those of the com mon bean, but are larger and angular ly lobed beside being tougher in text ure. Apparently only occasional vines bloom in this country. The blooms are dull puiple-red and hang in clust ers. The pods are thin, very hairy, and do not mature in the latitude of Washington. The Japanese utilize kudzu in many ways, growing it es pecially on rocky land or hillsides too steep to be cultivated. The fiber of the stems is used largely to make a sort of cloth, known to commerce as "grass cloth. " Various other articles of utiltiy, such as portmanteaus, are Great - Subscription - Otter World's Master Paintings Free (REPRODUCED ON) 50 Postal Cards Nothing Y^** \^ t^*>-± All rrM t ri ot|!! ng« Prettier Given Away P? rfor Ever Printed KJI V \DI 1 I\ VVUy a Gift Selling price $I.oo—Given away with each new subscription accompanied by 50c -w C - U.m.i~T* -50 of the handsomest cards ever seen of Beautiful America, given away with new subscription or lOUr OI /*meriCa renewal for Wo in advance. These cards are new and just put on the market. They must be seen to be appreciated. They come 50 in a set. and the selling price is $1-00. WE GIVE THEM AWAY. . r -|L| TC u/ANTFn -If an agent will take subscriptions, we will not only give the 60 postal cards to each subscriber, but wil» AGENTS WAIN ICU Ija ' y ' a " Kent a good commission. Write for particulars. Address all communications to THE RANCH, - - - KENT, WSSH. fiie Ranch, i — also made of this fiber. The thick roots are rich in starch of a high quality, which is used especially to make cakes and noodles. In former times it is said that kudzu played an important part in periods of famine. For starch making, the roots are dug after the leaves fall in the autumn or before the buds burst in the spring. The Japanese also make hay from the kudzu vine, especially to feed sick horses, as it is said they will eat this greedily when they refuse other feed. It is more generally grown to feed green. From the limited experimental work that has been carried out with kudzu, it is very promising to plant for graz ing, especially on rocky land or steep hillsides that can not be cultivated. It is an excellent vine to plant on hillsides that tend to wash. It is also recommended for planting on land that is too poor to be cultivated with proflt. Whether it is desirable to plant it on land that will grow other crops profitably remains tor be deter mined. Being a legume, kudzu will add ntirogen to the soil in addition to the forage it produces. It is possible, too, that tin yield of starch from the roots will more than repay the cost of re moving them from the ground in case this should be desirable. Kudzu may be used either for past ure or for feeding green. It is rec ommended especially as a pasture plant, and in using it in this way it is desirable to have two or three sepa arate Held to be browsed alternately. Seeds—The seed of kudzu does not germinate very well, so that the plant is usually propogated by cutting. It' seed is used it should be planted in a well-prepaied seed bed and then the plants transplanted after they are well rooted. They should be planted 10 to 20 feet apart. The first sea son seedlings will produce stems 6 to 12 feet long and by thejend of_the_sec oiid season sh()uld"entirely cover the ground. Cuttings—Kudzu is readily propo gated by means of cuttings. The joints strike root freely, especially if covered with soil, and such rooted cuttings are easily transplanted. Prof. J. M. Scott, of the Florida Ag ricultural Experiment Station, plant ed an acre of kudzu in the spring just before the buds had started, using joints only. Some of these were root ed and some were not. but nearly every one grew. The growth of each vine for the first season ranged from 10 to 25 feet. Kudzu wlli not reach its full luxuriance of growth until about the tbrid year, when the new vines should grow from 40 to 60 feet in a season, depending on the latitude. So far as a chemical analysis indi cats, kudzu is very nutritious, being comparable to clover and alfalfa. The leaves, however, are considerably tougher. Horses, cows and sheep eat the green leaves readily, its actual value as a feed, either for meat or milk production, remanis to be deter mined by experiment. 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