The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1851-07-25
Prom the Southern Cultivator
Grass Culture at the Sonth.- The Diff
cultieS,--

Mr. EDIToR:-The frequency and urgency of /
your appeals to US on the subject of cultiyating
grasses at the South, shows that you have a |
very different opinion of its value from what is |
practically exhibited by US, almost universally. !
This diversity, however, is more apparent than
real, for there are many among us, who, at one
time or other, have felt the desire of plentiful
supply of forage for our animals, and have
made strong resolutions and some efforts, to
be delivered from the tax of buying hay at
$l,50 per hundred, or the Inconvenience of
going without all the comforts flowing from
.ul barn..
When visiting the north, ] have been struck
with the value of pasture and hay, and on set
tlng in this region, made it principle, that
while Iwould not neglect other things, IDoutd
succeed in procuring full supply of tcinter pas
tlre andhay if success WAS to be the reward OF
perseverance and study; and now that begin
to have the assurance of saccess, | am almost
amazed at the difficulties which we are required
| to Breast who take the lead in this matter.
My present purpose-is to enumerate some of
these difficulties; not to discourage, but to eau
ton and to stimulate, thinking that we often
instruct as much in showing where we have
| failed, as where we have succeeded.
In the first place, will mention the want of
the stimulus of example--SuecesSful example.
On coming up here, man totally ignorant of
sowing wheat, makes a trial; the first year, (et
us suppose) his wheat proves smutty. Does he
give it up, although the wheat cost him one
dollar per bushel! No, he sees his neighbor
feasting on the finest of wheat, and tries again,
using precau ion against smut Suppose he
suff RS again and again from rust, or fly, or frost
or something else--he perSerefes'in hops of a
good wheat season. Suppose such an one tries
grass, and fails once, where is the stimulus that
supported him in sowing wheat? It's wanting
and on the other hand be is laughed at for be.
J ing such foolsas to try thing that don't suit
the climate; throwing away a dollar for gras:
seed! He wants to be wiser than his neighbors
} and he becomes tie mark for all the small wi
: of the country. This is a stump which has
? fixed many q fair effort. 1t requires something
I more than moral courage to go ON.
But you may say, why should he fail? Thi
4 leads me to mention other difficulties. FIRST
5 bad seed. Ihad an importation from New Yorl
/. of ten bushels Of seed, the first sprout from
/ which never saw. This was of kind whic
r had tried on small scale, and found suitabl
0 to my soil, and the failurewould have staggere
|, me, but for-the success of small quantity Q
: seed of my own raising.
j, Again, the time of sowing may be unfavol
S able; first, from an improper time of year; an
!, also from untoward seasons, such as too dr.
), (as is the case with turnips sometimes, yet "
try them again ne xt year, or too wet, or freei
d ing out, Gas is often the case with wheat)
d Again, the soil may be.unsuitable. ono
a sowed 1s acres in eleser sls.s .i came up The
IF and beautiful, but not 100 plants grew we'll
1T the soil was too poor, for after some of it'll;
i ] ~
ar Again, good land may be badly prepared, 8
le one s'only sowing grass"
le Then again, we expect too much from o
le land; we want crop of oats or rye at the sar
of | time. We must be satisfied with one go
W thing at a time, and also give time for the
o. tablishnleu of the grass before we begin
tyI pasture it to freely
h. And las ly, will mention what has given I
III more trouble than any thing else; it is the Z
of tive crop, or crab grass, sniothering the yoni
De plants struggling for existence, after the rem
lis val Of the friendly crop Of oats; and the broc
"a sedge with its towering. unyleiding stem, fl
p getting possession Of missing places, and th
IS. yearly and rapidly encroaching upon the uni
i'll 9 mated stranger.
N. Is any one surprised that these difficult
tn should be overcomea ] am, and yet ha
he borne, or overcome them, and if my commu
n cation was not too long already, would g
u a description Of my clover aud herds-grass, a
,e. timothy and musquit, which would satisfy y
le- that have fair prospectof success. v
SO only say that think more fayorably of I
it, musqnit as winter grass, than any ! hi
Ire tried.
Yours, A. s., of Oakwood Farm
.ys RosepeH, Cobb co, Ga, May 2sfh, 1851