The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1868-05-09
Tor the BoLtgar Bulletin.
A Word to Farmers Valuable gug-
gestions,

Mr.. EDIToR-Now that our laboring class
is so unreliable and inefficient, it is our duty
to look outsfore every means to increase our
\ productions of cereals and meats with as
little labor as possible Wheat, rye, oats
and barley should take the place of cotton,
and well fed home beef and bacon should
take the place of Northern. bacon at Is and
I 10 cents per pound.
1t is to one article providing for the sus-
tenanee of live stock that your atteEtion
win be called Japan Clover (Lesredeza
Striata) is already redeemihg the wasted
lands Of South Carolina, and Georgia and
/ Alabama, and is gradually working It's way
throughout the South. This clover is a
stranger brought among Us by trading yes
/ sells some fifteen or twenty years ago. and
the seed were much scattered and widely
/ dispersed through the South BY the move
ment of armies during the late war and the
driving of cattle for their support Ger
tainly it thrives best IN moist, rich lands, bat
it is as. certain that it grows wellon poor
soils, and even takes hold on gullies and
railway embankments it grows in woods
and plains; is sweet and nourishing; it is
luxuFiant grower, erowding out the grasses
natural to the soil; is as hardy as the Ber--
muda grass, but yield readily to the plough,
and, above all defes the heat and drouth
that proves so fatal to other seloyers and
grasses on thin soils in our Soat thern States.
If this clover can be made a success it viii
be the salvation of our negro.ridden States.
How delightful it viii be to see fat sleek
COWS and steers drive over our present speci
mems Of anatomy and how sweet and Juicy
viii be the steaks that viii replace our. pres
ent woody slabs. 1t is every mans duty to
try and improve bis land, but all are not
able to experiment. We have many 10.
farmers among us, and also stock raisers
Why do not they make an effort to get
this kindly stranger 50 fond Of our land, a
home among US Where are our Toons,
Chisms, Reeves, Higgs and Cheshires 2
Some one of themought to try it Colonel
Polk has succeeded in procuring a few seed
from the Hon. q. w. RaYeneL of Aiken,
S. c., which he has planted carefully, and
hopes next fall to have enough seed to give
it a fair trial, but It should be tried on more
than one place and in different quarters of
the country IF our Agricultural Society
ever re9ives it ought to try It fairly. In the
March number of The Land We Love, is
very interesting article on this subject,
which is heartily recommended to all our
farmers; It is by Mr. Ravenel Below you
viii find some extracts from it which viii
be of interest it is hoped, to you and your
readers, Y our energetic townsman, MIR J.
Hill made an effort to procure seed, but it I
IS not known whether or not he was slle-
oessfuL
Mr. r. says All who have noticed this
plant speak of its rapid propagation and in.
crease in the last six or eight years, and say
it was not ia such quantity as to attract at
tehtion previous to that time. lis rapid In
crease and almost simultaneous appearance !
over a large extent of country are points not
so readily explained. OF its
value to the country as a pasturing plant,
and for enriching the soil when turned over
by the plough, we have ample testimony
from all quarters Since its Introduction to
the public, FIRST made through the Augusta
Agricultural Club, last summer, the news
papers have teemed with notices of its good
Qualities; < Mr. VIM Summer, of
Pomaria says; Sheep and cattle fatten upon
it. and sheep have subsisted nearly all win
ter where it grew among the pine thickets.
My cattle this season were as fat upon it as
upon the best pea fields. < At Mt
Bethel, Newberry District, Mr. James Cald-
well there says it renovates old lands when
turned under It is admirable for preserv- 1
ing land from washing < = Colonel
Gage, of Union, writes: Coming IL just at
this time (October) Iuzuriantly, when nearly
all the native grasses are dying out, it an
swers a good purpose. Mr.. l. ". Watts, of
Laureps District, says of it in the Laurens-
vile Herald, & regard it as one Of the
greatest blessings thar could be sent US, for
now every one in this country has fat cattle
and sheep the whole summer, instead Of the
poor half starved animals that we're to be
met everywhere before the introduction Of
this plant We have in this vicinity dense
pine thickets, with a solid mass of green
herbage, where no other grass would grow.
Ab las no ItSDbCb lJE b44.-A-J fADf0o DAA L1-A
and valley the bottoms Of gullies are filed
so densely that they can't wash any more.
All kinds Of stock are fond Of it, and be-
lieye it Will sustain greater amount Of gra-
zing than any grass 1 have ever known.
From the prairie lands Of Alabama we have
the following testimony from the Tuskegee
Ne,os /" Horses, COWS, sheep, goats, hogs,
with aud fatten upon it We believe it to
be the greatest blessing IN the form Of grass
| ever bestowed upon the South. The Au-
gussa Chronicle and Sentinel says: " We
learn that large planter in Columbia county
made his CROP. of corn and cotton this year
upon the Lespedeza alone, without finding
corn or fodder"
So you see We at least have reasonable
assurances Of success. Let US try at any
rate If we succeed it will make our sons