The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-14
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Short Talks with the Men Who
Guide the PlOW.
OF GENERAL INTEREST T0FARMERs.
EDITED BY TT. W. I. JONES.
Glover and Grasses.

clover ana -tfi-sses'
tits not too early to begin preparation for SOW
ing spring clover ana grass. When rains
abound in autumn fall sowing is the best, but
In our climate favorable conditions rarely pre-
vail in autumn, and we are forced to SOW in
the spring. The first thing is to select the
land that is appropriate, and which it suits the
convenience of the farmer to seed down; the
next to procure seed OF the varieties selected.
and finally to prepare the land and SOW the
seed.
First, as to the land such as cannot be wen
cultivated in clean cultivated crops-very
steep hillsides, for instance; very rocky and
rough land; land too wet for ordinary crops,
and which cannot be drained-all of these may
be utilized in clover or grasses 1t is lamenta-
bic to see steep hillsides cleared up, planted
in corn and cotton, and i'll few years wholly
denuded of their soils. They should either
be left to grow timber, or, if cleared, should be
sodded as soon as possible with grass, TO bind
and hold the soil. On many farms there are
pieces Of land so rocky that it would hardly
nav to remove them, and which require such
greatly increased labor to pillow and hoe them
as to make cultivation in ordinary crops I'M
profitable. These would not be suitable for
moving, but would make good pastures.
Again, there are thousands of acres that are
too wet to grow corn, and where sufficient fall
cannot be had to drain them-these could be
made to pay most handsome profits in grass.
Now. as to proper varieties The kinds of
land indicated above suggest in part the var
ietv of grass best to cultivate on them. A
steep hillside calls for that which makes the
most perfect sod. Such slopes can be surren-
dered in perpetuity to grass, because they are
unfit for cultivation. There is no objection,
therefore, to putting them in bermuda for a
summer pasture. The next best sod grass we
have is bluegrass, and on northern slopes, il
the soil is adapted to it, it may
be sown for winter pasture. Strong
rich northern or northeastern slopes
could not be appropriated to a better use
Rocky fields make good pastures, whilst rocks
occupy room and interfere with the plow
They conserve moisture in the soil and protect
the roots of plants from heat and cold. Such
land may also be given in perpetuity to grass,
and therefore bermuda is not excluded from
ones choice. But winter grasses are also suit
able choosing such as come on in succession
blue, orchard, tail meadow oat, wild rye and
herds or red top, By such mixture, the
grazing season may be prolonged well into
summer.
Touching suitability of above kinds of land
to grow grass, the question Of fertility properly
arises, 1Or with exception OIL Detuudd none OF
them will grow on poor soils. In regard to the
third kind Of land mentioned, those too wet to
grow corn, this question does not arise They
are almost without exception rich enough,
and need only to be cleaned up and seeded
down. The grass specially suited to them is
red top, most excellent hay or grazing grass,
and one of the hardest of all the cultivated
grasses in our southern climate. 1t deserves a
much more widely extended cultivation than
it has received. All the wet bottoms in the
country ought to be seeded in it. Those
already cleared, but unfit for corn, and those
never cleared up because considered too wet,
both would pay handsomely in red top, Or
herds grass. We ask the reader to look over
his farm if the light Of what has been writ
ten, and see is he cannot somewhere fit in
grass advantageously. All those mentioned
when once set, will last many years. II he
decides to venture, let him procure the neces
sary seed, for it will soon be time to SOW
them. Next week the preparation Of land,
and sowing of seed viii be considered.
W. L. j.