Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-10-26
Ma sbington gsntinsl.
From the Charleston Mercury.
Rescue Grass.

4 Rescue Grass.
GENTLEMEN: Since the publication Of my
| ticle in the Mobile Tribune which you had the
kindness to republish in your excellent journal,
Ihave obtained some important facts about this
/ very valuable species Of grass, which did not
/ possess at the time that communication was
made. In the month Of May or June last /
sent several specimens, when in seed, to DIR.
i Hugh Neisler, our ablest botanist here, for the
| purpose of having it determined what was its
true name, and the place of its nativity. This
the doctor could not decide, even with the aid
of all his botanical books. AT my request, and
in accordance with his wish, he sent specimens
of it to DR.. Torrey of New York, the accom-
plished botanist in the service and pay of gov
| ernment. DIR. Torrey wrote back the day after
| receiving them, and gives its true name and ma
| tive place. He calls it "Ceratochloa Breviar-
istata, and that it is native of the Pacific coast;
1 / understand him to say that it has the largest
grain of any known species Of grass-hence
its great value for making hay, and that if eli
matized, it will be extremely valuable to the
4 south. The acclimation of the seed of this
grass has been successfully accomplished, and
it only needs to be known to insure its cultiva-
| ton by every planter throughout the country.
have also obtained another fact about it,
which did not know when penned the article
| alluded to. l find the seeds which fell to the
| ground when the seeds were ripe in June last,
| and which were turned under with a spade in
order to plant the bed in snap-beans, came up
the first of September last. This is important,
for 1t gives over month the start of seeds
planted in the last Of September or the first of
October, which was the period stated for SOW
ing them.
This year the seeds have vegetated and
grown off beautifully over month earlier than
they did previously, which / attribute to accli-
nation. AS this grass grows rapidly, you per-
ceive that it enables d planter to put all his
stock to grazing upon it, 30 soon as his pea
fields are eaten out, which is generally in No.
vember. The seeds should be planted then at
the time they mature, or, in other words, in
June, July, or August, as it will accelerate
their vegetation, and give the best of grazing
early in November. This should be the plan
after obtaining plenty of seed. With small
quantity to begin with, it would probably do as
well to SOW in September or October. AT the
time Of sowing in June, recommend all who
cultivate their grass to SOW along with it at the
same time in crop of,peas, and plough both un-
der. The peas will come up and shade the
field during summer. They protect it from
washing rains. And they give valuable food
to fatten hogs, besides returning large coat
ofvegetable manure to the surface. The grass
seeds, which were sown with them, will come
up from the lst to the 10th of September, and
in November is ready to receive the stock
which, by that time, have consumed the peas
and grass in the cornfelds. This grass will
new keep them fat through the winter and
spring. It protects the field from the wash of
the heavy rains during that period. It enables
the planter to have rich milk, thick cream,
sweet scented and yellow butter with fat, zen.
der beef mutton, kid, pig, turkey, and chickens,
for his table. 1t will give him from four to six
i tons OF nutritious hay per acre for his horses
and mules. And, also, good coat of manure
to the field In the spring, shouldi it be desired
| to cultivate the field in corn or cotton, then
turn off the stock and put in the ploughs and
4 turn the green grass under. This gives an
other coat of manure to the field
i II is easily done-and plant it-I will say
that If the crop is tended, it should be- 1t will
astonish all who see ii, and will do to brag on.
But suppose it was not planted, and the grass,
| followed with the pea continued until the third
year, do you not see, cannot any one see, how
much better it would produce? Now, gentle
men, say this is the cheapest, easiest, the
simplest, while it is the most paying plan to
reclaim exhausted fields, and re-fertilize those
not yet SO, which the ingenuity of man can de-
| vise 1t costs nothing as it were, either in
money, time or labor. 1t will restore the field,
and make it produce better than it ever did,
and pay you all the time it takes in doing it.
If there is a better one would like to hear of
| it. This very grass, and the southern pea can
do, and will, if adopted and used.
Very truly your obt servt.
B. v. IVERSON.
P. S.-The English of its botanical name is
short avn, horn grass" 1t takes this from
the shortness of the awns, and the points re-
sembling horns. 1t is as nutritious as barley.
and stock are as fond of it as they are Of that.
Without any reservation, / say that it is the
most valuable grass ever introduced in our Sec
tion, or which can be introduced Persons
who may desire to get seed of it can address
me at Columbus, Ga, (post paid) and next
year they shall be supplied as soon as the seeds
are gathered. The price is So for peck,
which is as much as is necessary to begin with
Their names shall be enrolled in my book.
b. vi
N. B. This grass can be destroyed at any
stage, before the seeds ripen and shed out, by
| ploughing.
COLUMBUS, Oct IA, 1853.