Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-06-04

|
Laws was announced as follows c. b.
Lord, z. Dickinson, w. Il. Raht,J Lindsay
| and B. Earnest. .
On motion the convention adjourned to
1880 o'clock.
NIGHT SESSION.
The convention was called to order by
the President who announced that the
subject for discussion was the second topic
on the programme, "What shall we sow
for forage and what for hay >" and stated
as Mr., Il. Link, of Greene county, who
was to open the discussion, was not pres
ent, he would like to hear from Mr..
Meek, of Jefferson county. Mr.. Meek
stated that he had not informed himself
much on the subject and would rather
hear from some one better posted. But,
however, the best way to solve the ques-
ton was by actual experience, and gave
his. He is of the opinion that
timothy and herds grass are one and the
same grass, but the herd grass of the pres
ent day was what is called red top. His
opinion was that timothy in high land
would yield more feed or forage than any
other, while red top would yield more in
low land. Glover, he thought, should
be used only as fertilizer, for which it was
certainly the best and would yield more
forage than any other grass.
The orchard grass was the most magnlh-
cent grass of all, and for the purpose of
grazing was the best grass of any ever
used in this country, and gave his views
from actual experience for his belief. He
also gave it as his opinion that clover rails
ing would reduce the soil more than
orchard grass.
Mr.. Caulkins, from Knox county, asked
Mr.. Meek why he thinks that raising
clover will reduce the soil.
Mr.. Meek explained his position:
Mr.. Caulkins was of the same opinion of
Mr.. Meek, that timothy and herds grass
were the same. He accepted MIR. Meek's
position on orchard grass. He said that he
could not subscribe to an idea expressed in
the morning that the grass in East Ten
nessee was not so sweet as North. He
knew of no land under the sun that the
grass was so sweet as in East Tennessee.
He admitted that in the North, where he
was from, the land was in better state of
cultivation, but that was no reason that
the land in this country could not lie
brought to the same state of cultivation, or
that the grass was not so sweet. His eX-
perience was that the climate of this coun-
try was remarkably adapted to grass
Mr.. Burnett, of Cooke county, subscribe
ed to what the other gentleman had said
on grass, but thought it of importance to
find out what effect the luXuriance of the
orchard grass had upon the soil, and he
would like for Prof. Nicholson, or some
other man equally informed, to throw
some light on the subject, for he thought it
a crime against God and future posterity
to let their soil go to waste. God had given
the soil into their keeping, and it was their
bounden duty to hand it over to their pos
terity in as good, if not better, condition
than it was when they received it. He
wished to be informed on the subject, as
he desired to make practical use of the
knowledge.
Mr.. II. H. Hubbard, of Messy Creek,
q, HI, tI,t n,l
riched the soil, and gave his experience on
the subject. He had field sown in or
chard grass during the war, and to-day the
grass was as luXuriant as i'll the first and
second years.
Mr.. Caulkins, of Knox, stated that he,
too, had field in orchard grass for four
years and did not know how long it had
been sown before he came into possession
| of it, and on the fourth year it was as good
as on the first year he possessed it. He
was of the opinion that orchard grass en-
| riched the soil.
Judge Swami was of the opinion that it
| Was the vital effect of shade that kept the
| heat away from the ground enriched it
and it was not the special merit of the
grass, but that which shaded the ground
| most would enrich the soil
! Prof. Nicholson was of the opinion that
! timothy should never he gra2ed and gave
/ scientific reasons tor the same. The reason
orchard grass improved the soil by turn
| ing stock upon il was thatit formed a mat
! ting, and projected the soil from heat. 1T is
very valuable To SOW with clover, as it
| gives it a fine flavor and when fed to COWS
will produce a better article Of butter. II
| is also the most valuable grass for forage,
! as 1t can be cut three times year.
Mr.. Patton, of Washington, differed
with the gentlemen from Jefferson in re-
| gard to lowland not producing good timo-
! thy,as his experience was to the contrary.
| The herds grass would lose about ~ per
cent. when compared with timothy, and
thought that in his county, timothy was
the best of all grasses. Orchard grass was
| introduced in 1850 in Washington county,
but was out of use in that county now.
The dog foot grass was the earliest grass,
in their county. He thought that clover
was the most nutritious.
Judge Temple stated that he wished to
| hear from Mr.. Daniel Lee, who had been
an editor of an agricultural paper about
forty years ago in New York. He was of
the opinion that it would do good to mix
grass seeds. He thought that clover was
more beneficial to land than any other
crop. So far nothing had been said on the
subject of blue grass. It was true, that in
many instances the soil was too poor but
it was our duty to improve it. and he
thought that blue grass would do it. His
experience on the subject, led him to this
| belief
Mr.. Patton stated that he did not wish
to be understood as opposed to mixing