The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1851-07-16
.aGRICUL TUR.aL.
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1 write on ,his subject, not TO instruct, bd,
10 call the attention Of Southern planters TO
he subjcc, Of Winter Grasses, believing that
il they had sufficiently reflected on the value,
all would be trying TO find out and establish
such grasses % would afford winter Pss'ur
age. 10 the Northern Stales, east and west,
800 per acre are paid for woodland to put
down in blue grass. This 10 rented 81 either
Sc or 81 per acre, according TO the rate of 10
,erest. Il 10 knosu by them from long expe ]
sience to be profitable investment, as l learn
from conversations had with many Of these
farmers, and from visiting and examining their
farms. find abou, ! acres allowed 10 feed
one steer; then there is an outlay Of from 80
10 $40 SO per annum to feed one steer for
market, and ye, fortunes are made BY buying
land q, these prices, and raising beef for
Market
We at the South have no winter grasses.
We have land in goat abundance, which has
cos, Us from to $40 per acre. We there
fore pay rem, Of from Z TO 20 cents per acre,
only, and ye, bu, few Of US have summer grass;
none Of us have winter grasses with which 10
feed our stock, and TO stop drafts on The corn
CRIB. We have stock, it is true, but for the
van, Of grasses. after the many and exhaust
ing drafts 90 the crib, our stock is nearly use
less. One COW we'll psstursd on summer and
winter grass, viii yield more milk and butter,
than sx fed in the ordinary way. Blu, this
is no. the great item Of profit; horses and
mules necessary to cultivate a crop, save at
leas, six months feeding from the crib they
are made thereby more healthy and more va.
Iusbe. Let any farmer calculate the one hall
Of the provender now fed away to his pillow
team and OK team, and in most instances II
will compare With the net profits Of his cot.
ton crop.
The winter grasses we have not gotten; the
northern winter grasses will not sui, our eli
mate then how are We TO obtain these grass
est This is an inquiry ! cannot yet posi
lively solve. l, 10 to seek the cooperation OF
nv brethren, Who till the land. that | write.
Tha, such grasses exist have no doub'-,hst
masy kinds exis, 10 any one climate / do not
believe; but that si the sunny South the AL
MIGHTY has not given Us WATER grass equal
TO, or sutpsssipg the blue. grass al the North,
| capno, bring myself to believe. ihavs been
trying diligently for two years 10 get ~,n'e'
crasses-I have received many vsrleties ffos
different individuals in the Southern States
sm giving all, q, but little cost, fair tral
at present. l have more hopes of success
from the musqu, Tor musqueei) and Dat grass
es than from any other variety. Could M
duce Ten other planters TO join in the effort
then nv chance Of success would be much
hove ten fold. have about l6 acres OF mus
Quit p,ass-I have mixed shout 5 ceres o.
this with the oat gsass: both promise well
but which, or whether either, will stand gra
zine remains to be tested. desire TO ava
ken some planters TO The importance oil the
subject. To any such, | will mos, Cheerful
ly furnish him with seeds OF every variety
am irving, of which | have any hope. for
summer grass, neither Kentucky, Ohio OF
any ether State furnishes q grsss SO valuable
as We have. My summer grass pasture wi
feed one COW per acre, from May I'LL Nayem
Der i, does save drafts on my corn crib, lo
my horses. every day during these monhs
when no, working. The Sabbath, 10 my ~Ofl
horses, is day Of rest and day of ieastlns
think my summer grasses save, and ar
is,rinslcaIly worth TO me, Eve dollars per acr
per annum. The land cost me SO per acre II
fee. have few acres ir cane, which lhinl
pays me we'll, allowing rent at $40 per acre
Give ne but winter grass 10 sufficient ousn
iiiy, and one.haH the corn winch | shout
consume without grasses, would be saved.
f III am wrong in my estimates of Grasses
, will some OF your writers correct mel If
n am right, then surely may appeal with con
fdence for cooperation in q work Of sue
importance.
JAMES THOMAS.
Sparta, Hdncoek co., Ga, April, 1851.