Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1874-07-31
Gte farm,
On the Cultivation of the Grasses.

marks upon the cultivation of the
grasses, and are in hopes that the in
terest manifested of late uponstbe i'm
portance of giving more attention to
this branch Of husbandry will be very
considerably increased hereafter. AL
though We dwelt at some length upon
the peculiar value of the orchard grass,
We must again allude to it, notwith-
standing it will not be in season for
its cultivation next spring; yet, it is
best to keep such things before the
public mind, as farmers particularly
are slow to be induced to get out of
their old and beaten paths. DR.. Lee,
one Of the oldest agricultural writer's
and chemists Of the present day, in
some remarks in the Nashville Union,
the agricultural department of which
he is editor, says of this variety Of the
grasses that "as field grass it is very
early, and may be regarded as about
equal to timothy. AS pasture grass
it is vastly superior to timothy, because
it will endure close cropping far bet
ter and sends up a new growth very
much more rapidly. It is valuable
grass, and worthy Of extended cultiva-
tion," AndaKentucky correspondent
of the Southern Agricultuaist says
that whilst he thinks ''there is no grass
equal to blue grass, yet like orchard
grass in some respects better than blue
grass. In the first place, you can
Craze it two weeks earlier in the spring,
which is very decided advantage over
blue grass. If you Craze properly its
fattening qualities are equal, if not
superior, to those of the blue grass.
In the next place, if you have good
stand it affords as much, if not more,
grazing to the acre than blue grass.
Again, [ have seen blue and orchard
grass in the same field or pasture, grow
ing side by side. A drouth of some
four or five weeks would cause the
blue grass to become dry enough to
burn, while the orchard grass will be
green and luxuriant, comparatively
speaking. This is another very great
advantag ge over blue grass
This is high praise, especially from
a Kentuckian, and it is to be hoped
that all the evidences that are thus
being presented will ensure more ex-
tended cultivation of it hereafter in
the Middle and Southern States. We
know Of our own experience, its great
value as an early bite for stock, COM
ing two weeks earlier than any other
crop sown in spring, and when sown
with clover, it fills the open spaces
left between the punches of clover;
this keeps out the weeds which draw
the strength Of the land, and will full
ly double the grazing for stock, or
double the crop Of hay If the clover
and grass are cut for that purpose
Harrow the clover field after good
season from October to March, and
SOW grass on the fresh earth, going
over with bush to cover the seed.
And this brings us to the considera-
ton of another of the plants so close
ly allied to the grasses. That of red
clover. And we will use for the basis
of our remarks an able paper from the
Rev. G. w. Howard, on the "Cultiva-
ton of Grasses at the South" where,
we are glad to find, a new zeal has been
awakened in its cultivation, it having
been too long considered that the eli
mate of that section was inimical to
the growth of this and most other of
the grasses. Mr.. Howard says of the
red clover that, in the variety of its
uses, this is the most valuable herba-
ceous plant to the Southern farmer.
Lucerne is superior to it in the quanti-
ty and quality of its hay. But, then,
lucerne cannot be grazed, nor can it |
form part of an ameliorating rotation
of crops, and wilfnot thrive except
upon land in the highest tilth and Of
extreme fertility. Red clover, on the
other hand, bears grazing admirably, |
is an ameliorating crop. makes excel
lent hay and in large quantity, and
thrives upon land of moderate fertility,
such as will produce remuneratiye
crops of wheat or corn.
A suitable clover soil must contain
large percentage Of clay. Extreme
ly sandy lands on or near the coast
will not grow clover successfully. A
mong them, the pea must be the SUBJ
stitute for clover; and an excellent
substitute it is, with the exception that
it is an annual, aud requires some cul-
tiyation.
But where the surface is sandy and
the subsoil clay, the clay may be
brought to the surface and manured;
clover will then thrive upon it. Gen
orally, a good wheat soil, and every
farmer knows what that is, is good
clover soil. The richer the soil, the
more rankly will the clover grow. 1t
is time thrown away to SOW clover seed
on land that will not bring ten or fif-
teen bushels of wheat to the acre, or
its equivalent in other grains.
The subsoil for clover must be dry.
It will not thrive on wet lands. But
it does thrive on bottom lands tho
roughly drained. Hence it has always
been our opinion that the rice lands
on the coast would yield magnificent
crops of clover, and be more profitable,
all things considered, than rice.
A gallon of clover seed is sufficient
for an acre, or bushel to eight acres.
The seed should be lightly covered
with brush or roller, and not with a
pillow. ,
plowed as deeply as possible. The