The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-05-16
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Southern Cultiyator
CRAB GRASS HAY.


CRAB GRASS Hay.
EDITORS SOUTHERN CGlTIvAToR:
In the wide field Of, Southern Agri-
culture, I know of no branch, oft sd
little understood, and yet so impor-
tant to our material interests, as the
making of Hay. Our ships, railroad
cars, and steambo boats, are .burthened'
with dry grass, grown 5000 miles dis
tant, by transportation from the val
leys and meadows, Of New England,
and sold here at $500 to 81, 00.for
100 TBS. to farmers and planters who
live in the finest hay section in the
world, where tvo crops can be gath
cred the same year from the sameland.
Now, I simply propose to:caH the at
tention of my Southern brother plan
ters to the immense proyendcr re-
sources which they have and to give
general directions, and to .make-some
remarks on the mode and manner of
growing and cutting and sowing or
curing Grab Grass Hay. ;.
Avoiding, purposely, all technical
terms about the grass, as well as all
theoretic propositions or extraneous
discussion, ISdesire to present these
facts known to be true; with a view
to arouse and excite our planters to
; the d,ty, as also to the sey-tntcrest,
of raising plentiful supply of prou-
eader. Our southern planters arc,
notoriously, of all educated mcn Of,
position, the most ignorant class on
the face Of the earth of their profes-
sion. Like abscntees,, they have en-
trusted their estates to the manage
mcnt of others-toS overseers and
negroes, who only looked to corn and
cotton. But a. new order of.things
is upon US. ES-king cotton Is ihe
vassal of a central Government, and
we must obey: the laws, live at
home and wcather3the storm.
Briefly, and to:the subject matter.
Crop grass, ::or:aab grass and crow
foot grass abounds,in. our cultivated
fields. and are (tuzhvated grasses.
Land or soil, in certain conditions,
will produce definite and particular
crops or growth, whether the seed is
there or not; this is Gods law inl-
p,csscd upon the earth. Fields cul-
tivated last year and not plowel af-
terwards, will produce hog weeds,
but not grass. Some fields. owing
to the particular texture of the soil,
and its poverty, or fertility, will yield
the crow-foot and others the crab
grass. Either are excellent for Hay.
To make hay from these grasses,
therefore
1st. Turn over your fields, in the
winter, with turnplows, and in -fpril
cross-plow them. This is the general
and. best direction for the cultivation.
But only one good plowing one time
before the 1st Of July, will make one
crop of hay. Winter plowing alone
will not make hay,as rule, but grass
and weeds and bricrs, in many
cases. If you break up your fields
in winter, bear in mind that aspiring q
plowing is absolutely necessary to
put the land I'M that condition which
will not allow the growth ofwccds
but only the grasses.
I'd. After the spring plowing, i'm
mediately harrow the field, or brush
it over, after the Southern mode of
covering turnip seed, to level the land.
Do this, if convenient, ifnot, let it
alone.
3D.. For plantation purposes. two
acres to each mule or horse, should
be put in hay, which will yield a
bountiful supply for all the mules and
COWS, &c.
4th. When the grass gets in full
bloom, it is time to cut it, if thcweath-
er is fair and dry, and you use prop,
er care to sun it and cure it. All
this stage ofits growth it abounds i'll
untricious properties. But you may
cut and cure it in the bloom, the milk
the rough and the seed state. Al
the grasses, before maturing seed
contain sugar, starch and mucilage-
the formation of hard sccdabsorbs