The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-05-31
THE HILLS OF CAROLINA.
what They Can Grow OF Grain and Green
Grassea.

Grassea.
correspondence Of AUGUSTA Chronicle and CON
| siitutionaii,t.
COLUMBIA, May I6.-Some times sinc,
alluded, in this correspondence. To the
grass and grain farm of Mr.. w @
Childs, near this city, and promised ,t
write more fully of it afterwards. Yes
terday afternoon visited this farm and
was very courteously received by Mr.
Chllds, who carried me over the many
points of interest.
The clearing from the public road tc
the river comprises 5000 acres AZ level al
q floor a0d il is hard to imagine ANYTHING
more beautiful than this large field o1
waving grain" and luxuriant grass. In
one OF the meadows Mr.. Childs had
1hree mowers and five horse rakes
at work cutting and pilng the grass pre-.
paratory to being shocked" These
mowers can cut, iD ordinary land, ten
acres day and each rake will do the
work of thirty men. One of the mead.
ows Is mile and quarter in length and
the mower will travel four miles in
making the circuit of this plat. In such
large areas as this each mower viii, cut
twenty acres per day. Mr.. ChiIds is now
selling $50 worth of new hay per day, Just
enough to supply the local demand in this
market. 1t sells readily for from $40 to
80 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 dispatch. 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, as we'll as in all 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 has shown so
much energy and good judgment in this
branch of agriculture, that he is recog-
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 a 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 ia much
improved by cultivation.
Bermuda grass 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 year, according to the wet or dry
season. 1t is very much injured by u
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 aiiuviai land that is overfioWed
during the winter. 1t is very exhaustive
TO land when cut and removed If not
removed will improve the land each year.
Stable manure and commercial fertilizers
will improve it decidedly, even upon rich
aliuvial lands, but Mr.. Chiids doubts if
it will pay to fertilize generally. Bermu-
da grass makes an excellent pasture; it
is not much injured by tramping and
will make good pasture from early
spring until heavy frost. This grass is
propagated by the roots; when obtained
the roots are cut into small pieces, sowed
broad cast upon newly plowed land and
narrowed 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. It 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
pint to quart per ton is enough; if
too much is used there is danger of too
much heat being developed and the hay
may be Injured. Mr.. T. @. 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
forage plants that do we'll when nursed,
we have few that live and thrive here as
in their native habitat. The Bermuda
and crab grass are at home in tho South.
They not only live, but live in spite OF
neglect, and when petted and encouraged
they make such grateful returns as aston.
ish the benefactor."
Mr.. Childs says that the Means OF
johnson grass looks very much like
young corn. It is said to have been
introduced into this State by q Mr..
Means and into Alabama by Mr..
johnson, hence its names. It natures
seed and eau be propsgated either by
| seed or roots. The seed should be sown
| in the fall. Nearly a ton per acre can
be got at each cutting. It grows from
three to ten feet high. 1t scarcely impov-
erishes land at all. It grows very
rapidly, over an inch day on moist land
while this grass does much better on rich
land it will do moderately yell On ordi.
nary land. When Bermuda 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 alter awhile the Bermuda sod gets
too tough, aud the Means grass will dis