The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-06
Orchard and Tall Meadow Oatgrass.

On these two grasses the foundation of
all farming should rest. As longas we nave
them do not think we should ever SOW any
other grasses, save possibly Il little clover to
mix with them, which will die out rs the
orchard or oatgrlSs thickens. Orchard
grass with us is ready to cut by the
first week in June. 1t will grow more
in one week CATER cutting) than blue
grass will in month. It makes larger
aftermath, and makes it quicker, than any
other grass | know of. Land will i'm
prove with sod of orchard grass Tor any
other kind) on it, no matter how you treat
it. 1t is the most profitable crop we can
raise as a general farm crop. | vii! try to
give the reasons for my belief.
The first Of June IS generally the most
convenient of all times for cutting hay--be-
fore wheat harvest and after planting. limo
thy comes in so near wheat harvest that 1t Is
often left until that IS over, when it is en-
tirely too ripe. Orchard grass will grow
more in one week than blue will in month
/ have Flint's word for it, as well as my own
experience. | bayc tried il on rich and poor
land, and the aftermath has always been
heavier weighs more) than any other grass
! know of.
| have stated that land with good sod on
of sod of orchard grass that did not
steadily improve, if not pastured. What
mean is that Il sod Of orchard grass may be
mown as often as you like, and everything
removed from the ground; or it may be
allowed to 20 to seed, and then the seed aud
the Grass under it both removed. and yet
the sod will continue Of all weeds are care
fully kept out to thicken, and produce more
hay or seed year by year. 1t is impossible
for the grass to make more and more hay
unless the ground is improving.
Within the last few years several old fields
have been broken up in my neiShborhood
that have been neglected for twenty Years or
more, with cattle enough on them to eat up
every blade of grass that ever got two inches
above the ground. Bluegrass sod formed
over them, and so the fields remained. One
of these fields brought fifty bushels Of corn
Der acre without manure of any kind. On
the others the corn was also tine, but do
not know how much. These fields had GER
tainly improved. That field will improve
faster when everything is mown from it than
when everything is grazcd from it know
by my own experience, and any one may be
convinced by trying two fields side by side
a few years. l may mistake, but from ALL
that can sec and learn am convinced that
land which has sod of grass on it will
slowly but steadily improve. 1t will GER
tanly not get poorer, no matter how often
moWn or how closely pastured.
now come to my last statcmcnS-tilat or
chard grass is the most profitable general
farm crop we can raise. Ny system for its
management is as follows: For hay, NOW
first week in June-a little sooner than most
people now. Now again September l. What
ff.r bnt 7 tat 81 no ~
protection to the sod during the winter and
for mulch the following summer. If / leave
for seed, cut the seed then Immediately
cut the bottom for hay, leaving all that grows
afterward on the ground, and never allow
hoof TO be seen in my Orchard-Srass nclds.
Cattle, instead Of being the making OF our
farms, as most people imagine, are the rulna-
ton thereof. If the people Will Keep cattle,
let them soil. Ii can help ii, l never intend
to allow another head of my stock to 20 out
Of nv lurp-yard. Where land is worth $50
an acre no one can afford to keep cattle
otherwise than by soiling. But to return
to NV orchard grass. The profit on good
land is about as follows: You get one and
one.half tons at each cutting, making three
tons ,,er acre; with us bay is worth SIS per
ton: thus each acre brings $40. The eX-
pense of cutting aud stacking is $3.50 per
tOD or > .0U pcI aSicI W uiv tc&iSes us Tot sJu
>per> acre clear. The seed, with the hay cut
in,nediately after, will probably pay as well.
wat crop will pay SO well, keep up the land.
and give us as little trouble? In sowing for
huy like to SOW two bushels of orchard or
oaferas 8 and one gallon of red clover. For
seed. lea We out the clover.
Tan M eadow oatgrass and orchard grass
are very n. ',ch alike in all respects save APP
pearauce. he oatgrass, for hay, yields
more. but is NJ quite as good in quality for
seed. il makes n. 'ore seed, out does not bring
have said about orc hard grass is equally true
Of tail meadow oat. I think the oat does
best on poor land. P.'rsons, sowing orchard
grass must not expect 100 large crop the
flfst year. Like many Other grasses, it takes
two or three years to cone 10 pefiectlop.
generally SOW in March, but "here inc WIN
tiers are not too severe it is btHsI 70 SOW Tue
last of August, Or not later than inc 1oth OF
September F. TaNant, Al. Mt9omery
o0tt1sty, Va, in Country Gentleman. Il
How THEY SALUTE TIE AMERICAN FLAG ~
RIo.-[Brazil Correspondence of Sprins tleld !
Union.1 IA few days later most ridleous