The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-05-26
FARMERS CIRCLE AT TRINITY.
Discussion on May 10Th, 1886. Sub
ject: The Grasses and Hau,"

1ect 1" IHo Grasses ana HUu
Pres. Parker-We take the COM
mon acceptation and class clover
with the grasses. To succeed as
farmer you must raise cattle, horses,
mules, hogs, sheep, etc, sufficient at
least to consume all rough and bulky
material produced on the farm, for
which there is not a near and ready
market. To grow stock successfully
you must have grass and clover; and
an abundance of hay made of both.
More grass, more stock more stock,
more manure more manure, more
grass; and so on dd inJinitum Grass
and clover, for pasturage and hay,
lies at the very foundation of good
farming There is no doubt about
it. The productive capacity of poor
soil must be developed by a slow
process 1t is to be hoped that our
farmers will speedily come to bet
ter understanding Of the Importance
ofgrass growing; and that our grass
lands will be treated with due con-
sideratiOn.
W. w. Andrews.-The Importance
of grass is immense 1t is one of the
things that poets write about. The
grasses are among the most beauti-
ful things in nature. 1t is beautiful
when small and eNceedingl y beauti-
ful when grown large. 1t holds the
soil together and shades the ground
two essentials in improving the
farm. What grasses shall we culti-
vate? Don't go wild over some new
and untried grass; in majority of
cases they are humbugs. The ones
to hitch on and stick to are the tried
ones Some native North Carolina
grasses are good. Is clover a native
plant? 1t has been here SO long we
will claim it. 1t is an excellent hay,
| think we can do no better. Have
your ground rich and cure it right,
which by the way is a very difficult
matter; / think it requires five or
six days to cure it properly bunch
in small shocks soon after cutting.
Mr.. Joyner-Do you let it heat
in the shock?
Mr.. Andrews think that Of
doubtful propriety. [ should never
let it heat such would damage it's
food properties. We have other ma
tive grasses it would be we'll to cul-
tivate [ am thinking of one called
fodder grass, with blades similar to
corn, but smaller; generally found
on ditch banks can be cured in
day and is an excellent hay for stock.
Herd grass yields but one crop a
year. and Ii ght one at that. Crab
grass makes good feed to raise it,
plow ground about twice, put on
light coat of manure go off and
leave it, it will come and make the
earth almost smile The reason we
fail so much in manure, we let 1T
waste. The manure bank must be
kept up. The money spent for fer
tilizers, if economically spent, would
make mountains Of manure; keep
the manure pile damp and it will
not fire-fang. Apply it judiciously,
then this old country will blossom as
the rose. Do your part, and God
will do the rest; it seems law OF
nature for grass to come.
J. J. White-Of all the grasses,
clover ismy hobby. l would no more
attempt to farm without clover, than
| would without farm implements.
have never failed in any crop on
clover sod; my finest potatoes were
grown on If never failed raising
good wheat when sown on it it i'm
proves the land and pays as feed
crop at the same time. Grain and
clover alternate, each with a profit
You can't point out a man who fails,
that seeds his lands to clover. | ad-
NIT the curing to be difficult mat
ter; the same process will succeed
one time and fail another, owing L
suppose, to damp weather. If dry