Richland beacon., 1882-02-25
Guinea Grass i'm Court.


Mississippi. One of the progressive
planters in the neighborhood of Green
vile, the seat of the county named,
determined to try an innovation and,
instead of sin.le crop, cotton. to di-
versify his planting with corn, bay,
etc He had satisfied himself that,
apart from the abstract merits of d.
versiiied farming. there was money in
raising hay that an acre well-set IN
good grass was more valuable and
more remunerative than an acre plant
ed in cotton, under the most favorable
circumstances. In casting about,
therefore, to ascertain the best seed
for his purpose, be at last concluded
TO try the Guinea grass, otherwise
known rs Johnson grass. He had
heard almost fabulous stories Of its
productiveness. its tenacity, and its
marketable value as forage, and be
made up his mind 10 try it Natural
lv. gentleman on the eve of 80 i'm
portant and novel q departure. would
speak OF the matter to bis reighbors,
and naturally the neighbOrs, having
so startling q communication made
to them, would discuss it among them
selves. The consequence was that
strong sentiment of disapproval mani
tested itself, and this sentiment,
spreading and intensifying. at last
crystallized into a law sultan appli-
cation to the court to enjoin the ad-
venturous and revolutionary planter
from introducing Johnson grass into
the country. The grounds were the
alleged dangers likely to result from
the contemplated innovation; the ten
dency of johnson grass to spread
and propagate itself and to cover the
surface of the earth with its rank
luxuriance This prospect was too
dleadful for our friends neighbors,
and they flew to the courts for safety.
The trial was quite pro,racted one.
If we are not mistaken, the plaintiffs
gained their suit in the petty court to
" hich it was first carried, but the
hardheaded revolutionist appealed,
and then came the grand struggle,
with clouds of witnesses and an in
posing array of counsel on either side.
Long and Gercelv did th. battle roll
AID siubburn was the effort Of the
plaintiffs to carry their point. All in
vain, however Under the calm, clear
light OF judicial inquiry. and exposed
to the firm and searching pressure of
crossexaminalion, the excited neigh
bors who had instituted the suit with
so much confidence found their cause
slipping from under foot with miracu-
lous rapidity. Witnesses from Mis-
sissippi, Alabama and Georgia came
by dozens to prove that they had
found johnson grass more profitable
than cotton that it grew with mar-
velous vigor was hardy, fruitful and
nutritious that the hay was in con-
slant and eager demand at handsome
prices, and that, so far from being an
indestructible and Uischievous pest
like coco, it was no more difficult to
eradicate than Bermuda grass or wire
grass, with one or the other of which
nearly every Southern field is infested.
In short, the plaintiffs had no case at
all. Their sui was shown to be un-
founded and frivolous. and johnson
grass conquered with great carnage.
And truly, considering the matter
seriously, it would have been very
unwholesome spectacle if the case had
turned out otherwise Not only
would it have been blot upon that
community to establish the precedent
that a farmer could be prohibited
from planting any remunerative crop
he might prefer, so long as the act in
volved no danger 20 the public health
but it would have been especially dis
beartening 10 the South, which is DOW
languishing under the blight of the
"one-crop idea" and which nceds only
too sadly the beslthful and invigorat
ing influence of more progressive
methods of agriculture.-Times
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