Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-10-15
From the Southern Cultiv...-
Grasses for the Sn,.I NdtOf,

From the Southern Curtfr..
Grasses for the South. '"'Fator.
EDITORS SOUTHERN CULT1vAToR-T bovo
years. noticed with much interest tho or several
have appeared IN your journal on the v;o oayS that
Grasses that have been introduced into tho @ lorein
whilst others have been giving us their opno"o and
been making observations myself to try to g.: nave
something like correct conclusion about arrive at
the kind best adapted to our climate "lerltsor
The Importance of this matter contood -,
be treated with indifference it not onlv I; not
foundation of independent living but the sccoe at the
ing 1t would also prove source of revenue in t
In proof of this have only to look at the va south
drawn yearly from the proceeds of our cotton amounts
out for work mules fine saddle and carraoe bo anu laid
Tor pork hogs All OF this expense is from wear 10 and
kept up for want of grass pastures to rear th " year
and which, at the same time, would not intef
least with our cultivated crops. contend bonl le
we nave oeeh crowned WIN complete success in fndr
out one kind at least adapted to our climate whnng
make good pastures six months in the year and VIII
the much abused Bermuda Grass; still for lie b;%t
to kill, and, by many, COMPOUNDED with the Cos nafG
other worthless grasses, have discarded II "M
here ask the question, Do want kind easily t WIN
or crowded out by the native weeds of the connt9 "a
so, could present your readers with very lone!
ogue that would make as fine pastures likely % IA
Bermuda; but unfortunately, they cannot stand o{
summers Not so with the Bermuda-the hot SIM not
element-and Its onward march is only impeCed Lv 5
rocks water courses and denselv shaded forot oa
grows precisely where want it to grow, ~ oo.e II
it to certain limits we only have to hedge with tb T
okee Rose the Usage Orange, border the pastnrol
shade trees or post and rail fence with 3 wiI T %H
plank extending inches in the ground wouId ko 3
bounds; but we are told it spropagated from tbo o
and that they carried between the hoof If
fields intended for cultivation and that if VIII re Oh
through the stomach of a cow and then yeoetot PAS
mittng this all to be true flor it comes from r1;tI
sOurce) all this could be easily guarded against I
it, by carelessness small patches of it should make ip
appearance in our fields can testify to the fact to oy
pose the naked roots to the hot sun one week wmd In
it so dead that ThompsOns third preparation n %i5
never bring it to life. No speculation about his y
have tried it, Messrs Editors.
When wanted to make large crops of cotton orl
but little to eat, had equally as bad an opinion Of o
Crab Grass as some of your correspondents have of h
Bermuda [ have even piled it on stumps and Ioou IN
the farm to keep it from seeding the plantation Wow
ed 1t, In fact equal to one of Pharoahs curses but
found that clean culture and running my land every wear
in corn and cotton wearing it out, and CON-
menced pasturng part of it and clearing every wear
until hnally got all of my stock a good pasture
The scales then fell from my eyes and could see that
God was adding to my storehouse instead Of taking from
it. Still, when Crab Grass takes root from the Joints
it is very hard to kill as the Bermuda bnt od
hitting that the Crab Grass and the Bermuda will SAT-
sy our every demand for hay and grazing six months in
the year. there is yet six months we thrown on the
corn crib.
Who can fill that vacuum with suitable GRASS for
winter pastures? This contend, after avainc orr
selves OF the information already gained is all we need
in the way of grasses. Should we fail in this wouj
suggest, as substitute to enlarge our Bermuda Grass
pastures, and that portion be reserved for winter graz
ing, and not suffer any stock to run on it until needed
in winter. This would certainly have the desired e
feet. Ii the summer growth would stand our winter,
land 1t seems to it would as it is hardy evergreen
the short grass at least left by the stock late in the fall
retains its foliage green until the spring. and why not
the summer growth? This is, however a mere INQUIRY
to obtain reliable information
But, sirs, in conclusion, would ask of what use
would this information that seeking to obtain and
your journal intended to impart be to sons if we
fail to give them the training correctly laid down by
" A Subscriber" in your September number? The
modern young gentleman is not trained to business hab
it's He obtains his clothing gold watch horse buggy
and subsistence from his fathers purse and of course
has no use for those fine grass pastures to fine h
ses, COWS, sheep and hogs upon and if they did, our
delicate daughters so correctly portrayed by Shirley
also In your September number could never condescend
to leave the parlor and the soft notes of the piano for
the kitchen, to attend to serving up fat piece Of veal
lamb or pig, produced from those fine pastures we have
been talking about-it is now considered by young la
dies as being too vulgar for the present age
Well Messrs. Editors, admit we living in
ghened age and fast one also but the handwriting
is upon the wall" and it don't take Daniel to inter
pref ia change has to take place in the education of
our children or the fortunes made by the industry and
frugaty of the fathers will pass into the hands OF those
who know how to appreciate those blessings Finding
myself wandering from my subject, will come to a
Close after giving the information you wish about the
crops in this section
On the west side of the Tombgby River, on the pra
RE lands cotton will not make than from half
to two thirds of CROP caused principally from the boil
worm on the east sde the land is sandy and will like
y make from two thirds to full crop Corn and wheat
will be about an average yield and oats ruined every
where by rust except few fields saved early in the fall
Your obedent servant F. JINKTNS.
Horse Pen, Miss, Sept. 1858.