The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-12-19
Permanently OF Orchard Grass
Pastures.


Pastures.
The following letter written for
publication ia this department by
the well>known lawyer. Robert F.
Patterson, Esq, Of Claiborne coun-
ty, gives a remarkable instance Of
the tenacity with which orchard
grass clings to the soil of this coun-
try. The popularity Of this valuable
pasturagc grass is rapidly extending
in East Tennessee, as is also q great
er disposition on the part of our
farmers to cultivate more grass.
Our cheap lands. mild climate, soil
naturally suited to grazing water,
proximity to markets. give US Ad-
vantages for rearing cattle and sheep
unsurpassed, If equaled, by any
country in the world,
Editor Agricultural Dept. Morristown Gazette:
Some time since an article, upon the
subject of grasses, which appeared in
the Agricultural Department of the
MoRRIsTowN GAZETTE, arrested my at
tention and determined then to give
you an account of the wonderful tenaci-
ty of some lots of orchard grass, in and
near the town of Tazewell, in CIaiborn,
county, Tennessee.
In the year 1856 or Col. William
Of lots
the hill side west of the town. The
said lots of grass were moved and graz
ed continuously until the commence
ment of the late civil war between the
States-when the fencing was destroyed
and said grass lots were thrown out to
the commons. In 1859 gentleman be-
came the purchaser of said lots, and
fenced them in. The rich deep green
of the orchard grass, soon made its Gp-
pearsnce through the wild grasses which
had taken hold by iacess&nt growing,
and fair crop was mown from one of
the lots the first year. The second year
the orchard grass had distanced all
competition and gave a full crop of
orchard grass hay. The soil is black
flint with clay bottom. The second
year it was sown in wheat, and the
orchard grass had SO asserted its ante BEL
lunl rights in the fence corners, that two
or three dozen of fine large bundles Of
the grass were reaped for seed from
them. The soil of said hillside field
has an intermixture o! white gravel; but
has also a good tough clay bottom.
Orchard grass is peculiarly adapted to
the soil and climate of East Tennessee.
1t will grow well upon any quality of
land which will produce timothy, blue
grass, heards-grass or clover, and it seems
to be a combination of the best qualities
of all these grasses. No one however
who has a good clean sod of any of our
excellent home grasses should not be in
FOOLS haste to break them up.
If any agricultural gentleman however
wishes to set field in grass-"To be a
thing of beauty" as the poet says, sis
JOY forever, permit me to recommend
to him the following proportions ofseeds
per acre; buy one bushel of orchard
grass one-half bushel of Kentucky blue
grass and one pint of clover seed. The
orchard grass will stool and the inter
stices will be filed with the blue grass
and clover.
In one of your articles (if remember
right you recommend the sowing Of
early and late grasses in the same pas
ture This will work we'll il the field
is not grazed so closely that it cannot
seed but the idea OF pasture field not
all the year cropped to the ground, is, TO
the average East Tennessee farmer, su-
premely ridiculous. would mOdestly
offer an amendment to your plan, and
SOW the early grasses in one field, and
the late in another, and allow the seed
to ripen before too heavy grazing. This
system enables the farmer to handle his
fields better, and also to economic his
grasses 1t is the early grasses really,
that we want for our late fall and win
ter grass.
Before Diminishing the subject, I wish
to remark that every farmer who wishes
to Craze must remember that the grass
is his capital, and he can no more afford
to diminish or abuse that capital, than
can the merchant the capital stock in
his business.
With my very best wishes for your
success as an enlightened scientific agri-
culturalist, am your friend,
R. B. PATTERSON,