The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-05-31

"A, May l6.-Some times since
l alluded, in this correspondence, to the
grass and grain farm of Mr.. w. G.
Chiids, near this city, and promised "a
"rite more fully of it afterwards. Yes.
.erday afternoon visited this farm and
WAS very, courteously received by Mr
Chlids, who carried me over the manv
points of interest.
The clearing from the public road 70
the river comprises 5000 acres as leYel az
I floor and il is hard TO imagine anythinu
more beautiful than this large field Of
waving grain" and luxuriant grass. In
onc of the meadows Mr.. ChiIds had
three mowers and five horse rakes
at work cutting and piiing the grass pre-.
paratory to being Shocked These
mowers can cut, in ordinary land, ten
acres day and each rake will do the
work of thirty men. One of the mead.
nws Is mile and quarter in length and
the mower will travel four miles in
;;"aA'ng the circuit of this plat. In such
large areas as this each mower will cut
| twenty acres per day. Mr.. Childs is now
selling $2O worth of new hay per day, lust
enough to supply the local demand in this
market. J. sells readily for fron, $40 10
20 per ton and ranks in quality with
the best Northern Timothy. The best,
latest and most improved labor saving
machinery is used for every purpose. In
| addition to the mowers, rakes, thrashers
| and binders he has machines for loading
and unloading the wagons and
everything is systematically arranged for
| convenience and diupatch. With the
exception Of one or two white men, all
the hands employed are negroes, and Mr
Childs says he finds that they soon
become accustomed to the use of the
most intricate machinery, and use it as
efficiently as men of more intelligence
could. Since the adoption of the stock
law the native grasses and many new
varieties are springing up all over this
plantation, rs well as in ell other parts
of the State, and as the grass is not now
eaten down by wandering stock, there
will be much larger quantities of hay
cured every year.
Mr.. Childs' experience wifi grasses
commenced in 1876, and he las shown so
much energy and good judgment in this
branch of agriculture, that he is recoe-
nized as high authority on such matters
not only in South Carolina but among
progressive farmers all over the country:
and his plantation has been visited by
large numbers of our own people and
strangers passing through the State.
His attention has been directed chiefly
to the Bermuda, Means or johnson,
Vetch, crowfoot, crab grass, etc., but
mainly with the first two. Bermuda. he
says, is generally known as wire grass,
but he has always understood that There
is difference between them. Wire
grass grows chiefly from q stem that
creeps above the surface shooting sprig
up and root down at each Joint. and
does not grow high or thick enough for
hay, and can not be improved by cult.
vation, while Bermuda grass forms roots
beneath the surface very thick and fine
with deep green color and is much
improved by cultivation.
Bermuda gEsss will grow from six TO
thirty inches high, according to the
adaptibility of the soil. If we'll set at
twelve inches high it will yield at least
one ton of cured hay at each cutting per
acre. 1t can be cut from two to three
times a year, according to the wet or dry
drought, but ordinarily there is enough
rain for it during the summer; the year
1881, however, was an exception and it
suffered dreadfully. 1t does not do we'll
on any land without fertiliziDg, except
on rich alluvial land that is overhowed
during the winter. II is very exhaustive
to land when cut and removed if not
removed will improve the land each year.
will improve it decidedly, even upon rich
si,u7isi lands, 5u; Mr. Chiids doubts if
it will pay to fertilize generally. Bermu-
n L -
is not much injured by tramping and
spring until heavy frost. This grass is
propagated by the roots; when obtained
the roots are cut into small pieces, sowed
harrowt j in. This should be done after
the winter freezes and before the middle
Of summer, as the roots are easily injured
by cold or dry weather.
Bermuda will kill most any grass
except broom sedge, which will kill out
both Bermuda and Means grass. 1t is
almost impossible to extermin ate it when
it becomes we'll set. After the hay has
been placed in the barn it is improved
by little salt being thrown over it, from
too much is used there is danger of too
much heat being developed aud the hay
may be Injured. Mr. 7. G. Howard, Of
Georgia, in his manual says "The desid-
eratum to the South is grass that is
perennial, nutritious and adapted to the
climate. While we have grasses and
we have few that live and thrive here as
in their native habitat. The Bermuda
and crab grass are at home in the South.
MT onfu 1.-Two hu liua - spito nf
neglect, and when petted and encouraged
they make such grateful returns as aston
ish the benefsctor."
Mr.. Childs says that the Means or
johnson grass looks very much like
young corn. 1t is said to have been
introduced into this State by a Mr..
Means and into Alabama by Mr..
johnson, hence its names. It natures
seed and can be propagated either by
seed or roots. The seed should be sown
in the fall. Nearly ton per acre can
be got at each cutting. 1t grows from
three to ten feet high. Il scarcely impov.
erishes land at all. 1t grows very
rapidly, over an inch day on moist land,
while this grass does much better on rich
land it will do moderately we'll on ordi-
nary !snd. When Bermude and Meaus
grass grow together they do very nicely
for awhile, better than either by itself.
The Means grass will be finer and thicker
and the Bermuda grass will grow faster,
but after awhile the Bermuda sod gets
too tough, aud the Means grass will dis
appear until the land Is plowed. Mr..
Howard published letter in his manual
from the late Mr.. N B Moore, Of Angus
ia, whom be regarded as the highest
authority on Southern grass culture. It