The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1875-09-10
COL. ]. WASH WATTS ExPERIHHcE With
TEE GRAssKS AND STOCK

| Ab the grass question aDu i've STOCK ralS-
ing ut the South are attracting the atten-
tion of large class Of our farmers, thanks
to such writer's as Rev. G. W. Howard and
DIR. Lee, L have thought it might add some
little to their testimony, for me to give some
OF the experience Of twenty years in rails
ing grass, hay, turnips, sheep, cattle, and
| butter" { have never tried to make cheese
and am ready to hold up the hands Of
these men while they battle FOR so good a
cause, and endorse their arguments with
| facts.
Previous to 1852, was farming in my
native county, Laurens, s. G., but always
having fancy for stock and grass and be-
heving that | could do better In Northern
Georgia than in Laurcus, moved aud set
tied In Cnss County, about twelve miles from
| Mr.. Howard, whore | farn,ed on the mixed
| plan with hnc success raising as huc clover
rs have ever seen grow anywhere else -
| When | 6rst began sowing clover seed, I
found the projudiccs of my neighbors just
as strong against the grasses as in my ma
tive State, but my success stimulated others.
until that r r.gion has become fine clover
country. left there during the war. and
after the war settled at Martins Depot, s.
| j.
ever saw, cutting one season three good
crops from the same land, but I am con-
vinced that we should not cut more than
two crops, and rarely more than one; as it
robs the land too much the last crop should
be left OH the land.
1 have made excellent hay Of clover,
| Herd grass, aud crab grass, and can testify
that II is rs easy TO raise clover here as any
where in the United States, it only rcquir.
ing of us the same efforts made by others.
The main cause of failure here il, that most
persons try to get crop Of grain aud clo-
yer at the same time, when the laud is too
poor for one crop Glover should be sown
on land previously well cultivated in cotton,
potatoes, peas, or some cleaDly hoed crop
i bare succeeded better sowing in March
than any other time, on land freshly plouyhed
and narrowed; and, after sowing, harrow
again, if convenient, but it makes but little
difference whether narrowed in or not, as
the first shower will put it in; be sure to
put no crop with it, unless it be orchard
grass oats will dry it up, and ruin your
stand. If weeds come up, all the better,
for they will garrison the clover against the
crab grass, and will not injurc the crop.
have raised turuips with finc success,
bc:h here and in Georgia havc grown
three bundled bushels 70 the acre, vita but
little trouble and cxpcusc, aud have no
proper effort be made. We usually take uo q
our turnips, and bed them like potatoes,
and feed, as we need them, to sheep and
cattle.
Herds grass can be grown here TO per.
icction. find it growing on our branch
bottoms nearly everywhere j 60. Orchard
grass does we'll here, and is the best mix.
ture with red clover that have tried, both
ripening at the same tune. We also have
the Bermuda grass, and, from present indi.
cations, it will soon possess all the bottom
land in this section, and the earlier the bet
ter; then some people will have grass and
hay who have never known the good of it
and for permanent pasture, the Bermuda
grass and white clover, mixed, will make
about as perfect pasture as any other
known grasses, each growing in its time, as
1t the other was not present, and furnishing
grazing nearly all the year. Everybody
knows crab grass, but few know its value
for hayj it rarely fails on we'll cultivated
land, aud makes excellent hay if cut while
in bloom and well cured in addition to
these we have an abundance of Japan clo-
yer, (Lespeaeza striato,) and other grasses,
for sheep pasture, and assert without fear
Of successful contradiction, that we can
raise sheep here as cheaply and proitably
as anywhere this far North, and I am al
most ready to say anywhere in the United
States, unless California furnishes an ex.
ception aud this may be done to a consid.
erable extent without diminishing the cot
ton crop; but, on the contrary, by grazing
the waste places, we add fertilizer that is
very cheap, the manufacturer working for
nothing and paying bis board. Tho sheep
yield three crops, wool, lambs, aud manure
either Of the first two will more than pay
all expenses. leaving the other two clear
profit.
1t is regarded good economy at the North,
on mixed farms, to keep one sheep for every
acre of tillabIe land. This can be done on
nearly every cotton plantation, and will add
to, rather than diminish, the cotton; and
when other crops Of sheep feed fail, the
cotton seed makes an excellent feed. Il
have wintered our sheep entirely on raw
cotton secd, fed twice day. at the rate of
three bushels to tho hundred sheep; even
when we have plenty of other feed, we
usually give them some cotton seed. of
which they are very fond. Our sheep pay
us much better in proportion to outlay, than
any crop We raise, and if had the money,
l know of no investment | would rather
make, than TO buy few hundred Merino
sheep; want five hundred on our little
farm, aud will not be satisfied until get
them.
as gu evidence of the profit Of Merino
sheep, l will state that wiutering ewes last
winter cost fifty cents head, and twenty
i've yearlings averaged eight pounds Of |
wool, some going as high as ten, while our
breeding rams shesrad from fourteen 10 |
twenty pounds; this wool is worth in the |