Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-05-04
GRASS AND STOCK IN BEDFORD
COUNTY,

AAO1~ NAOPcg IVA WAAOh Jul SbooO 40 PSNN
liarly fitted by soil, climate, topography
and latitude. While in Bedford county,
few weeks since, we could not but mark
the unusual hopefulness amongst the far
mers. They were bouysnt with bright
prospects. Their dependency was over.
The war, with its devastating hand had
swept away slavery, and with slavery had
swept away the love of cotton. It's true
the high prices and the force of habit
kept many planters tied to it, butthe past
year has been blessing in disguise to all
cotton growers in Middle Tennessee. 1t
were shame ever to have prostituted
such fine country for stock raising and
grass growing, TO the growing of cotton.
We have as fine blue grass lands as there
are in the world, and timothy, Herds
grass, clover, orchard grass, grow as lux
uriantly and yield as beautifully as
they do anywhere. And yet the far
mers in the Central Basin have in
the past been tempted to follow strange
gods-have attempted to acclimstize a
plant that belongs, by nature, to a diff
ferent latitude. They have lost money
as they should have done; while the lands
about Lexington and Danville, KY, are
yielding princely revenues to their owners,
the same quality of land has been cult
waited at loss by our Tennessee farmers.
While the lands in the blue grass regions
of Kentucky sell readily for $3.50 to 5000
per acre, the same kind of land may be
bought in our State at prices ranging from
$40 to SIS per acre. Let our farmers
charge it to King Cotton. He has ruled
/ with an imperious sway. His white crown
has taken captive the heads and hearts of
his followers in the past. But, dethroned
aRd trodden now in the dust, may bis
former subjects in this State take counsel
together and secure the enjoyment of that
liberty, independence, greatness and pro-
gressiveness which the God of Nature in
tended for them.
We hope our readers will pardon us
for DEPRESSING 30 far from our subject.
Our object was simply to call attention to
the fact that Bedford county is going
ahead in stock and grass. A number of
excellent articles on the subject of grass,
written by an intelligent correspondent,
his appeared in the Shelbyville CONNER
cidL, which we have read with much in
terest. They evince thorough knowledge
of the subject, are admirably written, and
are great stride in the right direction.
From one of the list we clip the follow
ing:
No fact is susceptible of clearer demon
stration than that neither cattle, sheep or
horses can be proftably grown without
grazing and plenty of hay. If our stock
growers who have 30 literally supplied
themselves with improved stock should
continue to grow corn, and depend upon
it to mature and fatten either cattle or
sheep, advise them 10 give it up at
once, for such an experiment will cost
them all their herds aud perhaps a por-
ton of their land, while proper amount
of their lands sown in grass for grazing
and for winter hay will make them grow
more Independent daily. One of the
reasons why the experiment made in
this county, and in other portions of the
State, some twenty five or thirty years
ago to grow beef cattle proved failure,
was that we depended too much on corn
and not enough on grasses. The cattle
did not do well and the cost of growing
them proved to be about as much as they
could be sold for when they were ready
for market, and there was no remuueTa-
ton for the trouble and labor expended,
aad nothing for the risk. As sensible men
the thing was abandoned. We commence
now under different state of facts. We
have many acres devoted TO blue grass
and clover, and almost every farmer that
is entitled to the name has or is prepar-
ing a good sized meadow. We have now
more good cattle in Bedford county than
ever before. 1t is then a question of no
slight consequence how they are to be
cared for and how fed to be profitable.
Durham cattle, as they are called, have
been found by sad experience to be more
delicate than our scrub cattle, and to be
of any practical benefit to their owners,
must have a good shelter, and be kept
out of our cold, damp weather in the
winter and early spring, They must, in
other words, be housed if we want them
to improve; then they must be carefully
and beautifully fed. This is the ques-
ton: How can this be done so as TO
give the owner prcfit9 Our answer is,
give them in the spring, summer, fall,
and most of the winter, plenty of good
grazing, and when it is necessary to feed,
q plenty of hay. We are asked, what
kind of hays We answer, 6
mixture of clover, timothy and
herds grass is better than either,
alone Now, which is the best0 W.
answer, either is better than none, OF
corn; but our experience teaches US thai
timothy in rich lands will yield more
pounds per acre than herds grass, anc
perhaps clover. Clover is perhaps The
most palatable of the three to cattle anC
horses as hay, and when mixed witt
timothy or nerds grass will make a mos
: excellent feed. Cattle will not only liVt
upon it, but will, if properly fed, fstten
| Timothy and herds grass sOwn togethe
| make meadow that will make very
heavy yield of hay, and will make {
most excellent fall pasture for years, bu
| if nothing but timothy is sOwn it Wi
not do to pasture closely, it being NOR
! easily killed DOT than herds grass or clio
yer. Glover and timothy sown together
| make a very good yield; but care mus
, ! be taken in the curing of this mixeC
crop, or all will be spoiled, Will,
. there is little or no danger in crol
of hay composed of timothy anC
} herds grass. They both cur,
evenly and ripen about the sam
time-the timothy little in advance,
Then, where they are sown together, tn,
| timothy, having a stronger stalk, prevent
, the herds grass from bedding, and on thu
other hand, in pssturing, the herds gras
, protects the timothy, as cattle prefer t.
Craze on the herds grass. l give 1t as m.
opinion that clover should always be KEEP
t separate, and not sown with other grss
e for hay, for the reason that 1t require
. ! less sun or curing than either timothy o
herds grass, and an amount OF sun neces
sary to cure either of the latter woult
harden the stems of clover and make a.
r the leaves either crumble or fall off. The
! clover is ready for the mower from ten 4
c fifteen days in advance of herds grass
One thing will say, if you will only SOW
I grass we will not complain.
D Gotten or corn mean incesssnt labor
I while grass says to its owner you ma,
, rest an hour or day from your labors
but will 60 on forever shedding besut
I all around me and feeding the cattle upol
D q thousand hills. GREEN.
: BOOK FARMING EXPERIMEN