The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-06-23
INFORMATION FOR FARMERS.
Georgia Grasses and their Growth

Georgia Grasses and their Growth.
The editor of the Macon Journal and
Messenger, thus alludes to the speci-
mems of grasses from fields in middle
Georgia:
We have from very good neigh
boris place, in Vineville, five specimens
of grasses, the most or all Of them
sown about last March, and the short
est of them nearly three feet long.
They are timothy. lucerne, red clover,
orchard, and Texas muskeet The land
upon which they grew is naturally Il
light sandy, barren pine woods soil,
but that which produced four Of these
specimens has been thoroughly ma
nurcd and deeply ploughed. The or
chard grass, which is perhaps the pref
ticst of all the samples, is the growth
of land very lightly manured, and par
tally shaded by the ordinary ornamcn-
tai trees Of n front enclosure. They all
demonstrate the important fact that
the best grasses will flourish in this
latitude and on these very pine barrens
around Macon, fyou will give them n
fair chance. Such grass as this would
cut over a tun of hay to the acre
worth, at present prices. sixty dollars,
and it could be cut twicc-in May and
October.
AS grazing land, it would make such
rich mlk-such golden and well fla
vored butter, and such fat, juicy and
luscious beef. rs is unknown in this
region, or perhaps may be occasionally
seen on the rich heritage Of the bot
toms. All that is necessary to pro
duce just such grass on any of our
plantations, is barnyard manure. deep
ploughing and good seed. One ofour
planters thinks himself successful, if
with diligent toll from January to De
ccmber, he can bring to market from
these sandy lands fourth of a bale Of
cotton to the acre, worth, say thirty.
five dollars. The same acre, properly
manurcd, and ploughcd foot in depth,
would bring him double the money
and the culture would be over so soon
rs he had seeded it, say early in March.
When our farmers get their minds ele-
waited out of the " cotton rut," they will
make good many just such discover
les, and find that cotton ought to be
cultivated only as a su plus market
crop, after everything else is attended
to.
A correspondent Of the Dahloncga
.SignM thus alludcs to the adoption of
grass culture to the soil Of Upper
Georgia:
While in Eliiay, we saw as fine clio,
yer fields growing, as we ever saw in
the Virginia and East Tennessee val,
lcys. This points to demonstration
that the soil in Upper Georgia is
adapted to clover and grass, But tits
said that the cultivation Of clover and
grass will not do in Georgia. This is
an erroneous idea. This section OF
country will yield abundantly, clover
and grass, if the soil is mapaged right.
There is no reason why Gilmer, Fan.
min and Union and the whole mountain
region ofGeorgia. may not become
stock raising country. This is pre-
cisely the business this mountain coun-
try is adapted to. 1t is impossible to
make the production Of grain proGta-
bic, from the fact that we are too great
a distance from railroad transportation
and it will not pay to haul grain with Il
wagon 80 great distance to market.
Therefore it is highly important that
the people should devote their cner
gies to the raising of stock. In order
to do this successfully the people must
pay GREAT attention to the culture OF
clover and grass. The clover saw
growing in Eliiay. and the grass in
Fannin county, in the Hemptown val
ley, where the plow share never has
stirred the soil, now that on low lands
it will make splendid hay.