The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-10-03
From the American Farmer.
GRASSES.


From the American Farmer.
GRASSES.
NJ 4 PATUxENT PLANTER.
TO HE Editors Of The american Farmer
It's evident to the most inattentive obser-
yer Of agricultural operations in the lower
counties Of Maryland, that the pastures are
poorer, and the grasses generally less pro,luc-
tive and luxuriant Of aie than former Years.
What is the causei The lands have impro-
we'd, and other products. per acre, have in
creased, with the advantages Of an improved
system Of cultivation. Is it that they have
Z tired Of the clovers and other kinds OF TO-
reign seedsi Have the lands turned "Know
Nothings!" think not, because the natu-
raj or natire grasses, such as blue-srass
herds, white clover, and woolly head clover,
do not now spring up and grow spontaneous
i ly with half the yig0r and rapidity that they
did every where when was boy. Before
the introduction Of English clover and timo.
thy, the cloyers both white and yellow were
abundant on still' lands, aud the woolly head
clover was very rank aud luxuriant on sandy
soils. aHording after the first of June, really
rich and abundant pasturage; but it is not
so nowadays. They have been forced to
give place to the improved sorts Of imported
grasses, and they, iii their turn, have, il would
seem, exhausted the soil of such qualities as
serve Tor their sustenanee, SO as to flourish
and yield crop remuneratise Of the outlay
in their production. In view of these facts,
ought not other grasses to be sought after and
made to take their places for few years !!
" hat those grasses shall be, time and expe-
riment must determine.
n Timothy sown IN September with rye, and
late in October, even in November with wheat,
has lately proved valuable in this region, af-
iording fine pasture after wheat harvest, aud
the next year a fine crop of hay. This grass
should be suwn at the rate of two gallons per
acre even with clover, over every acre seed.
ed with clover. When sown alone, half a
bushel per acre to ensure good stand. Ey
cry farmer could with little trouble save his
own timothy seed.
Orchard grass does we'll on rich. stil'clays,
and should be mixed with clover.
Red Top is indigenous, aud succeeds on
moist. low grounds, aud stiff clay upland.
Italian of Perennial Rye-grass, i well re-
commended By yourselves, and commands
the highest encoma,ns from numerous Eng
lisli writer's. II Is said to be capable, ii well
manured, to yield two crops Of seed aud one
cutting Of has, or for soiling, and then iur-
nishing rich pasture for the last two months
in the year. II should be extensively tried.
lyERsoS GRAss.-This grass, named after
its ,iscUSerer and intrUducer Of its qualities
TO the American agriculturist, is destined 10
immoraize him. As a Young, though high
" intelligent aud practical farmer remarked,
on seeing its growth, +" the ultimatum III gra-
zing, aud rearing stock, has at last been found
out; meat can nov be ralsci to an unlimit-
ed extent with lterson Giass' and the Lit
tic Giant'-no matter what amount Of stock
d farmer keeps, he need have 10 anxiety
about proyender IL he sows lyerson Grass and
owns Little Giant" have no doubt as to
its vast value. As far as my experience goes
Nj. lYerson did not say too much about IT,
when he said il was perennial evergreen,
! very rapid in is growth, yields abundantly
both seed and hay,-aflords the best pasture;
no wet, or drought, or cold or heat effects il
detrimentally. procured last summer one
: peck, and soNed il the second week in 0cto.
ber, on land which had been worked in 1856
in tobaccn. in 1855 III wheat. and tobacco ii
1854. After the tobacco was cut, the land
Was plowed up, narrowed and lurruwed witt
very small plow, one foot apart, the seed
sown, d brush run over the land, and rollei
passed over t. This land had no manur,
: applied 10 il FOR either crop, and was only q
tolerably rich piece Of ground. II was lighi
loan. Ii was one quarter of an acre 10 10
0f three acres, two IL which were IN wheat
aud the rest occupied with locust trees grow
! ing very thick, On the lst Of December
! nut on the lot colt aud calf, where they re
!. manned until the 18th uf April. The gras
2 kept green as the wheat all the winter.
, /, vas observed by many that the colt and cal
: preferred the grass 10 The wheat, which The,
. hardly touched. Two gentlemen, WIN ha,
Z laughed nj my paying Sj.75 per peck inr Il
, measured il about the goth Of May, and Ioun,
il SO inches high, having made that gtowtl
!, IN less than forty days, during which time !
!. had not had rain.--and il was not an incl
D. high when the colt aud calf were remove,
!. from ID. Only saved three bushels 81 seed
y but feel confident could have saved tweRi
bushels il had begun 10 time, aud attende,
10 i, but was otherwise occupied, az,
did not know il was ripe. until hard rain
and high winds alter, had caused i TO los
y nearly al The seed. As il was sown on
farm distant Irun The one ON which reside
did not pay that attention to il which som
IL III ms misirusting friends did, and who ar
~ so delighted with il that they have otderc
e all the seed can spare. fully expect j
!. September to ret large crop Of seed, whic
will BE- two crops. lit will give two erOp
i az s.ed there can Lc no doubt that 100 h1.h