The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-06-06
RIC II M 0ND, VA:
TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 6. 1854.
WIRE GRASS DESTRoyFD

TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 6, 1884,
WIRE GRASS DESTROYED.
The eradication of that great pest of Agriculture
especially In Eastern Virginia. Wire Grass, is
matter of such importance to farmers that any pro-
cess recommended to accomplish it, will readily
attract their attention. We publish below an ex
tract from letter on the subject from Judge j. B.
CHRISTIAN, written to and by the request of the
Commissioner of the Agricultural Society of Viz.
ginia, EDMUND RUFFIN, Esq. The letter is follow
ed by brief comment by Mr.. R., which will in
terest the farmer.
In the course of the travels of Mr. R. through the
state we are sure that he will collect great deal
OF valuable information for the Agriculturist-con
slstng OF facts drawn from actual experiments and
such observations as from his great experience and
general knowledge of the subject he will be enabled
to make. We shall have it in our power we hope
frequently to lay before our country readers DOR
tons of informations thus obtained 1t will we are
sure be both highly acceptable and beneficial to
them
WIRE GRASS DESTROYED
Extract of letter from Judge j. B. Christian,
written to- and by request of the Agricultural Com.
missioner.
WILLIAMSBURG, March 9th, 1854
" had in Williamsburg a lot of
ground OF about two acres, of light oil and very
rich. 1t had been kept enclosed, and used only for
grazing for or 10 years. determined to sow i,
down in oats; and preparatory thereto late In the
fall of 1S49, had the lot we'll plouehed with n
double horse plough. In the spring it was again
ploughed and sowed in oats. The ground was as
thickly set in wire grass any land ever saw
he season was good for Oata-huf ba
on this ground was failure. 1t was evident that
the oats were destroyed by the wire grass | de.
termlned at once to make some experiment towards
Kidding the land OF this terrible pest 1t occurred
to me that if the land kept constantly employ
ed during the whole vegetating and growing sea
son ofthe year in crops that would entirely shade
the ground, and, for the time, prevent this grass
growing up, that it would in few wears perish out
Accordingly, as soon as reaped the oats plough.
ed the land, and sowed it thckly in peas The
crop of peas was an Indifferent one for the land
The vines remained on the ground-and during the
next winter it was ploughed preparatory for oats
in the spring. At this ploughing perceived that
the wire grass had very considerably diminished.-
In the spring again sowed the lot in oats. The
season was not very good here for oats. How
ever, the crop was more than double what 1t was
the previous year, Immediately after cutting the
oats, again ploughed the land, and put it again n
peas, sowing them thick, more than bushel to the
acre. The vines were as before, left the
ground During winter, it was again ploughed; and
body OF the land a vestige OF wire-grass. In the
spring the land was again sowed in OATS and in
an ordinary season, there was produced, think,
as beavya crop as ever saw grown upon high
land. During all this time there was no manure of
any kind applied. That fall l sold the land
learn from the present owner Judge Scar
burgh, that the lot has been since cultivated in
rlous crops-corn, potatoes, turnips, &c. Yester
day went with Judge S. to the ground We
examined, and found almost no wire.gr rass on it
certainly very little. portion is in clover which
is very fine. portion, belt about 81 feet wide
running through the groun, d had recently been
plougned; Here we had fair opportunity of see
ing whether there was much, any wire-grass
shllin the land. We saw not more than three or
four spires or roots in the whole ploughng.
From this experiment it would seem that two
successive crops of both oats and peas, requiring
only two years, will entirely eradicate this horri
bic bane to all small grain crops"
Remarks BY E. RI hasten to publish the fore
going experiment, in advance of other minutes Of
facts other subjects collected, that this trial
may be repeated by others, as soon as possible
This may be done for the present year, by every
farmer who has any thickly set wire grass ground
now sown either. in oats or wheat. For the begin
ming of the course incline to the belief that wheat
would be better growth than cats, for the object
in view; wheat would have earlier and more
complete possession fthe ground, and will better
Withstand the injurious growth of the wire grass
know too, that peas Immediately following wheat
tends much TO restrain the growth of thickly set
wire grassland this course has been used for that
purpose with good effect by Edmund Ruhin, Jr, of
Prince George county. l have not known (on such
land) second crop of either wheat or oats to be
followed Immediately by another course of peas
in Judge Christians trial-and therefore no such
complete destruction o: the growth of wire grass
obtained by the shorten and less perfect course
of wheat, peas wheat If, by this course wire grass
can be even prevented being serious obstruction
to tillage for ten years thereafter it will be i'm
mense advantage to the agriculture of lower Vir.
gnia.
ABOLITION FALsEHooD- Gov. Washburn, OF