Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-07
Grass for the South.

the inquiry for good hay and pasture
frass for the South continues, and agri-
cultural writers continue to recommend
frst one variety and then another, with
ont seemingly drawing any nearer to
settlement of the question as to which of
the named varieties it will do to settle
down upon. All have their good and de-
fertiye qualities, and the soil, climate and
management are so varied that expert
ences seldom agree. The truth is, that be
who would enter upon the cultivation Of
grasses must be intelligent and make use
Of that intelligence just as he would IN
any other business requiring knowledge
and skill. He must know the habits and
value of the grasses, and be able to judge
whether his soil and climate are suited TO
them. and then he must decide whether he
IS willing to bestOw upon them the
amount of skill and labor success re-
cures. The general necessity for album
dant grass crops in order to secure the
prosperity of a country is universally ad-
mitted, ana nature mas taught the lesson
by multiplying the varieties and distribut-
ing them over the globe more lavishly
than she has any other species of plant.
It is our opinion, from observation of the
entire field, that in Extraordinarily faithful
economy. and in view OF the coming neces-
sites Of man, every country on the globe
has been provided, within its own soil,
With grasses best adapted to the purposes
Of the inhabitants of that country Man
is too often slow to discover his interest
even in the things at his elbow and daily
under his feet, and prone to have more
faith in far-of things, high-sOunding
rames and the opinions of strangers,
tdaa to trust his own equal intellect and
the home observations of his neighbors.
10 until his naighbOr's good judgment
has gone abroad and been APP
proved 10y strangers and comes back
to him, VIII be adopt any OF his new
iangled'' ideas or notions, and not even
then If Terchance there has arisen any
cause OF jealousy between them. But
time and good sense have prevailed over
these obstacles to the extent of our past
acquisitions, and we have the fullest con.
fdence that they will continue TO develop
Il our resources until the South will take
her proper place among the best grass
growing region of the world. How aston
shmg it will then be to find our much
fought and abused old cotton enemy, the
"crab grass" at the head of the most use
iul grasses in all the Gulf and South At
ialtic region! The reason sh )ud be OBJ
yous to us now. 1t is annual. sem-an-
nual or tri-eunual as the cultivat0r may
elect. In a word, it may be planted every
month from March to September aud Il
GOOD crop gathered. it grows perhaps
more rapidly than any other useful grass
in the South, and spreading and rising so
rapidly after moving, that its yield is linn
iledOnly by the degree of fertility OF the
sjl.
tits thoroughly adapted to our warm
climate and our varied soils. Its quick
growth enables the farmer 10 harvest an
abundant crop before the midsummer heat
iecomcs too oppressive, and he may plant
Il ID late aud do all his moving in the pleas.
ant autumn. As pasture it will be green
Il all summer and until frost comes TO prove
4 lis annual character, AMI well treated,
VIII recuperate more rapidly than any
s grass ever pastured in this country. Its
nutritious qualities stand fair among our
stock grasses, and growing to fully 8 feet
IN height on rich soil it stands first-class
Tor moving and handling. AS an annual,
i Is The very grass for the warmer regions
81 the south, because it gives place in
winter 10 oats, wheat, rye and barley,
"nlchWe must have as well as grass. 1t
needs no cultivation after thorough prepa-
Iation ofthe soil for planting, and is wholly
ana perfectly eradicated by turning over
me ollin dry weather.