The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1877-03-21
a5gsjiealfpssal Department.
~ VS. SHIELDS, EDITOR.
KentEcky Blue Grass.


Can you give me some information in.
re gard "a the Kentucky blue grass? When
Atb s0w tAsS seed, Nfall or springg And
how it should be applied on the top after
wheat or oats, seFgsh0uId it be narrowed
in? And how high does it grow on com
mon soil? And does it make good hay?
And does blowing kill it as any other
grass? Also, can you give me the adj
dress Of some reliable man from whom
can get good clean seed, free of bad
weeds, etc +? I will be thankful for any
information you can give.
mr. NHTY r & REUBEN FOX
- - SINEISG VALLEY, Penn.
= II issslirprising how common it is to
find farmers of the middle and " estern
States unacquainted with this grass.
Ehis grass is found in all parts of the
r1United States, extending from the lakes
as far south as Arkansas, Tennessee and
Georgia. On light, sandy lands, or fiat,
badly-dTaincd clay soils, its growth is
not luxuriant while its best develop
ment is made upon strong limestone
loans @Fhere lisa common Impression
that no country in the world will pro-
duce blue grass like Kentucky; but
have seen 1t quite as luXurIant In the
Statesanonh Of the Ohio river, even as
for norfl as Winconsin. There is no
w. doupt but the soil IN Fayette and the
surrounding counties in Kentucky is
specially suited to the production of this
grass, being rich lOam resting on lime
stone rock. But there is probably not
one season in ten that the fine pastures
of this region do not suffer from drouth
In Great Britain the p0a prGtensis forms
the principal part of their meadow hay"
and is found green in their pastures
throughout the year. Its surface roots
do not withstand the effects Of drouth
as well as many other varieties, especi-
ally orchard grass (Dactytls gtolaerdtd),o or
Aeven5re top (Ag7Ostls 0LtgaTTs).
80 Weare of the opinion that there are
q soils as Tar north as Vermont and min
nesota that will produce blue grass equal
to anything to be found in Kentucky,
If the same care is taken to keep up the pas
lures.
AS we haye repeatedly urged, we
should not seed our land down tor per
manent pastures when they are eXhaus-
ted Of their fertility. If the soil is thin
or exhausted we must by surface manur-
ing, or repeated crops of clover, enrich
it, or we can never hope for satisfactory
results with any variety of grass
To answer the questions of our cores
pondent: Blue graas, sometimes called
June grass (pO1 pratensis), is common in
all parts of Pennsylvania, and is, we
have no doubt, growing in the lawn
go about his dwelling. 1t resembles red
top, called, we believe, Herds grass in
Pennsylvania but Iipens its seed earlier
say 10th to goth of June; and, when in
flower, the red-top has hue of deep
purple which the other has not
For hay, the blue grass is of little value
IN ordinary seasons IN the United States
while the reG-top, being less injured by
drOuth, makes fair crops on lands adap-
ted to its growth. Blue grass is, there-'
FORE cultivated in this country for pas
ture only. The seeds are sown in early
spring, from eight to sixteen quarts to
the acre. with other seeds-clover or
timothy, or bOth-as tits difficult to get
the blue grass seeds, sOwn in the chatf,
distributed to evenly cover the
ground. In any case it viii be four
i've years before we can expect thick,
welllnatted blue grass sod. To hasten
the work, and to cause the grass to grow
on spots that are bare, there is nothing
equal to barn-yard manure, spread upon
. "a the surface in fall, winter early
spring.
TO extensive land holders, with pasture
fields of fifty to one hundred acres, this
advice, that we have so often urged upon
readers, will appear impracticable.
BUTT must be remembered that the great
majority of the farmers of the country
are not men of large estates, and that
pastures and meadows are usually in lots
Of five, ten or fifteen acres. But whether
pasturing be large or SMALL there is no
economy in having the surface half-cOv
cred with grass; and it is unaccOuntable
that men who regard 1t as exceedingly
bud farming to see 6are spots fields Of grain,
are so often Indifferent to the same thing
IN their pastures
Blue grass seeds aIe kept in all good
seed stores - lire Stock Journal. T. c. J.