The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-04-05
THE GRASSES OF soUrH CAROLINA.
An Interesting Article from II Learned
Writer.
(From tho Monthly Report OF the Department
of Agriculturc)

An Interesting Article from u Learned
Writer.
(From tho Monthly Report OF the Department
of hgriculturcO
In 1885, DR.. Henry w. Ravenel, the
eminent botanist, who was at that time
the Botanist of tho State Department OF
Agriculture, prepared ali exhaustive ar.
ticle for the Department on the Agricul-
tural. grasses of this State. He divided
them into the Native or Wild Grasses
and the Cultivated Grusses. We begin
in this report the publications Of that
article, taking first the native grasses.
Three Of these varieties arc described
herewith. The publication of the arti
Gle will be continued in future reports,
until the descriptions of all have been
published.
In treating of agricultural grasses,
viz, those which arc valuable to the
farmer either for pasturage or hay, the
first obvious division il between those
which spring up spontaneously and
those which it is necessary to cultivate.
Tho former include those which are ma
tive or naturalizcd, and which mature
and SOW their own seeds and take care
of themselves. These are found in all
natural pastures, in open swamp lands,
along roadsides and in the woods and,
as i'll the case Of crab aud crow-foot
graces, those which spring up of their
own accord in cultivated fields. The
latter include all others which require
planting and cultivation, and which may
be either annuals or peronnia!s.
WILD OR NATIVE GRASSES.
Tho ordinary pasture grasses-thosc
which arc native, or if introduced, have
become so thoroughly naturalizcd as to
be able to tako care of themselves, will
be treated of first.
Most Of these arc "wild grasses" 50
called-grassCs which arc generally
spread through our State, and help to
make up the ordinary pasture land.
They vary i'll different localities, accord.
ing to the region of country in which
they arc found, and to the composition
whether dry or damp, clay or sandy.
Generally thoro is Il mixture of many
species IN every natural pasture, some
preferred by animals for cropping, and
others again, when left undistui bed, best
for curing into hay. For many of these
wild pasture no local or common names
are known, and SO only the botanical
names are given.
SMOOTH PASPALUM.
The genus Paspaum comprises q large
number of species, mostly confined tC
the South. They are nearly all pcrcn
NAL rooted, and are commonly found il
all natural soil. Prof. Pharse of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College a
Mississippi, who seems to have made {
special study Of our Southern grasses
says.
"They arc all succulent, tender, nu
tritious, hardy, thrifty, and relshsd by
all grass-eating animals. They fill the
soil with n mating of roots, and covcl
the surface densely with luXuriant foliage
from early spring till autumnal frosts
The Smooth Paspalum is tall grow
ing species from three to four feet high
1t has been found to make very goo
hay, rs Prof. Pharse says he has a neigh
Dor who has brcn feeding this grass fui
twenty-five J gears and for many years has
had Il meadow OF il, from which without
even having seeded he annually mowt
about two tons of hay per acre.
SWAMP JOINT GRASS.
This species is very common in the
tide swamps Of the low country, a grea,
pest to tho rice planters, and is know
rs JOINT grass. 1t, however, grows freely
IN the upper and middle parts of tn,
State, prcferring rich, damp soils. L
has very much the habit of Bermudi
grass, with creeping root stocks which
throw out roots below at each Joint anC
2 turf OF leaves above. 1t is rather {
10" growing grass, rarely exceeding /;
to Is inches high, bnt the roots are mat
ted over the surface and it furnishes {
dense and luXUriant foliage. Good fol
Pasturage, but scarcely large enough fol
hay. -
DIR. Massey, of the Department of Ag,
riculture III Washington, in his "Agri
cultural Grasses Of the United States
1881" altudcs to the pcrenninl-rooted
evergreen species Of pAspalum, both @
creeping and low habits, lately brongh
into prominent notice in Texas rs eivinl
great promise Of usefulness. One 0
these [PaspaIum remotum was sent tC
the Department by u. B. Richards, o
LnGrange, Texas, who states that i
roots ut every joint and sends up shoot
like lnyered grapevine, in that it re
mains green all winter, and it is almoa
impossible TO destroy il. Another specie
PaspaIum plntycaulcb j. having the sam
creeping habit, has been observed il
several Southwestern States. 1t is
grass of lower growth and smaller siz
than tho preceding. Mr.. Bcniamil
BrodnaX, OF Louisiana, says of it, "Tha
the mode Of growth is nnt to the ground
taking root at every joint, and spreading
in every direction. 1t llcctuully Kill
ont every other grass or weed, Us it form
a thick sod md is evergreen" | sn,
this grass very common il the pasture
around Houston, Texas, in Is Q, an
also along the railroad from Now On
leans to Brnshcar, in Louisiana. Bot
these grasses are well worth trial i
our State for permanent winter pastlll
age.
| panicum.
The genus Panicum contains tn
largest number Of species of all TIN
grasses. Many Of them are very Walt
able, particularly those of large growtl
which arc found in low grounds
CEAB GRASS.
This grass is so common and so we
known, both for pastura8e and hay, tbs
little need be said of it. 1t is SO univel
sally dif1uscd through the Souther