Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-15
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
More About wiresrsss A Tidewater Mans
yiews-No Good IN u.
TIpEwATER, April IL, 1885.
= N. Fditor offhe Dispatch

INV ~ t'ff NrNN'
To he Editor Of The Dispatch
Mr.. P.'s letter, found in your issue Of
the Sd instant, has given us some sur
prise and amusement. Apropos to his
subject, as Mr.. Lincoln would say. we
are reminded of story. Many years
ago New Jersey farmer reading or
hearing that wiregrass was wonder
full improver and great for stock, and
that certain county in Virginia was
noted for it. wrote to the clerk of that
county to procure for him supply of
the seed. The clerk, to be accommoda-
ting and at the same time amuSe himself,
had nice bundle Of the roots gathered,
dried. and sent according to address,
with direction that they should be put
under ground few inches, about fifty
feet apart. and the farm would soon be
well-stocked that this grass was
raised better from the roots than from
the seed. The New Jersey man followed
directions. About five years after he
wrote to an attorney Of the wiregrass
county to know if that clerk who sent
him the roots was still living, and
if there was any law in Virginia
under which he could be prosecuted
for damages. as he had inflicted upon
his farm a disease worse than human
leprosy. lie had exhausted mind and
purse trying to kill it, but the more
be did the stronger and heavier 1t
grew. Now, this is fair commentary
upon wiregrasS. We are glad, for the
sake Of Mr.. P.'s judgment, that he has
but recently come into the State. Then
wait bit. Mr.. p, until your Bermuda
develops into genuine old Virginia wire
grass. and your aged cows have parted
with their native fat and come down to
winter alone upon wiregrass grazing.
II you do not have some hides for the
tanner it will be because they are too
poor to skin. lie calls it Bermuda
grass still we expect the alias will
not help it. The right name is that by
which it is known in England-that OF
swi,chgrass. Wiregrass is no respecter
of soil or any evidence Of good in any.
1t will grow anywhere there is earth.
A sandy river-shore produces it finely,
but nowhere does it grow high enOughto
save for hay. Inaword, as to wiregass, if
there is any one trial and veXatlon IN
farming calculated to send poor fell
low to Old Nick, that is wiregrasS. es-
pecially since slavery is no longer at
tached to it. There ale but two things,
as far as we have been able to discover,
that will kill 1.-TWO successive crops
Of rutabsga turnips, or three or four
Of sweet-potatoes. 1t is a good late
fall and early winter grazing, as it
holds on longer against frost and
freezing. 1t is good to stop gullies,
and hogs are fond of the roots if
turned up so they can get them without
roofing. As tho danger of getting
their AoScs ali wired and tied up is SO
great. few but the old-time pine-rooter
will venture to tackle it.
The comparison in favor Of wire
grass with Kentucky bluegrass is
SANDER upon the latter. As native
Kentuckian, | to-day would not give
leo acres of prime bluegrass land for
agricultural and stock purposes for all
the wiregrass lands in Spotsylyania or
any other county. If with his dtiGsorb by
some magic touch Mr.. p. can change the
nature of wiregraSS and convert It into
profit in any way. or furnish feasible
means Of killing it. in Heaven name
he deserves and shall have the thanks
Of all wiregrasS-curscd people. If Mr..
p. has market for wiregrasS farms,
and will Judge and buy by the roots,
we will send YOU few as samples, Mr..
Editor, where he can call and inspect. &c.
But let us caution YOU to be sure and
lay them away above ground and out
Of sight Of your fiower-bedS and gar
denS if YOU would not have their beau
ty spoiled and a decent cultivation put
an end to. We are and have been for
10 these many years " well acquainted
with wiregrass. and fighting, almost
cursing, it daily. and say unhesita-
tingly it is not an improyer, and rather
the reverse. the roots, absorbing all the
manure you can put on your land,
leaves none for your crop. Here is a
farm with fine, heavy growth Of wire
grass for over forty years so poor its
owners will not cultivate and care not to
have it cultivated. Virginia will be
o. X. in course Of time and Democratic
rule; but old Gabriel will blow his
rising blast long ere wiregrass does it.
Mr.. p. must be Judging us. or, like the
fox, with his narrative curtailed, would
persuade us to believe it the latest
fashion-all the rage in the parts whence
he came but all the abuses will never
get money or good of genuine Virginia
wire grass, alias " Confederate ham
strings \. II. Il ID.