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

emlncnt DOtanlSt, who was at that time
the Botanist Of tho State Department of
Agriculture, prepared all 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 i'll future reports,
until tho descriptions of all have been
published.
In treating of agricultural grasses,
viz, those which arc valuable to the
farmer either for pasturago or hay, the
first obvious division is between those
which spring up spontaneously and
those which it is necessary to cultivate.
The former include those which are na-
tive or naturalizcd, and which mature
and SOW their own seeds and take care
of themselves. These arc found in all
natural pastures, in open swamp lands,
along roadsides and in tho woods, and, g,
as i'll the case Of crab and crow-foot
8races, 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 ANIMALS or perCnniais.
WILD OR NATIVE GRASSES.
The ordinary pasture grasses-those
which arc native, or if introduced, have
become SO thoroughly naturalized as to
be able to take care Of themselves, will
be treated of first
Most of these arc "wild grasses" SO
called-grasses which are generally
spread through our State, and help to
make up the ordinary pasture land.
Thoy vary in different localities, accord
ing to tho region Of country i'll which
they are found, and to the composition
whether dry or damp, clay or sandy.
Generally thcro is u mixture of many
species IN every natural pasture, some
preferred by animals for cropping, and
others again, when LETT undistui bed, best
1or curing into hay. For many of these
wild pasture no local or common names
are known, and 50 only the botanical
names are given.
SMOOTH PASpALUM.
The genus Paspalum comprises large
number OF species, mostly confined to
the South. They are nearly all percn-
NAL rooted, and are commonly found in
all natural soil. Prof. Pharse Of the
Agricultural and Mechanical College at
Mississippi, who seems to have made q
special study of our Southern grasses,
says.
''Thcy arc all succuleut, tender, nu-
tritious, hardy, thrifty, and relished by
all grass-eating animals. They fill the
soil with mating of roots, and cover
the surface densely with luXuriant foliage
from early spring till autumnal frosts. )"
Tho Smooth Paspalum is tall grow
ing species from three to four feet high.
1t has been found to make very good
hay, as Prof. Pharsc says he has a neigh
Dor who has been feeling this grass f1r
twenty-five years and for many years has
had meadow OF it, from which without
even having seeded he annually mows
about two tons of hay per acre.
SWAMP JOINT GRASS.
This species is very common in the
tide swau.ps of the low country, a great
pest to the rice planters, and is known
rs Joint grass. 1t, however, grows freely
in the upper and middle parts of the
State, prcterring rich, damp soils. 1t
has very much the habit of Bermuda
grass, with creeping root stocks which
throw out roots below at each Joint and
=, turf Of leaves above. 1t is rather Il
low growing grass, rarely exceeding ~
to 10 inches high, bnt the roots are mat.
ted over tho surface and it furnishes
donso and HXuriant foliage. Good for
pasturage, but scarccl ly large enough for
hay. -
DIR. Massey, of the Department OF Ae-
riculture in Washington, in his "Apri-
cultural Grasses Of the United States.
1884," alludcs to the porcnnial-rooted,
evergreen species Of paspalum, both Of
creeping and low habits, lately brought
into prominent notice in Texas as giving
great promise Of usefulness. Ono of
these PaspaIlm remOtum was sent to
the Department by u. B. Rich ards, Of
LnGrangc, Texas, who states that it
roots at every joint and sends up shoots
like layered grapevine, in that it re-
mains green all winter, and it is almost
Impossible to destroy il. Another species
LIaspaIum pintycaulcI having the same
creeping habit, has been observed in
several Southwestern States. 1t is Il
grass of lower growth and smaller size
than tho preceding. Mr.. Benjamin
BrodnaX, of Louisiann, says of it: ''That
the mode of growth is flat to the ground,
taking root at every joint, and spreading
IN every direction. 1t ltcctunlIy kills
out every other grass or weed, rs it forms
thick sod md is evergreen" | saw
this grass very common III the pastures
around Houston, Texas, in Is 9, and
also along the railroad from Now Or
leans to Brashcar, in Louisiana. Both
these grasses are well worth n trial in
our State for permanent winter pastur.
age.
Pnnicum.
The genus Panicum contains the
largest number Of species of all the
grasses. Many Of them arc very Yalu-
able, particularly those of large growth,
which arc found in low grounds.
CRAB GRASS.
This grass is so common and so we'll
known, both for pastura8o and hay, that
little need be said of it, 1t is so univer-
sally difluscd through the Southern
States, that all is necessary to secure n
| good crop is to have the land in proper
condition in the spring or early sum
mcr, free Of weeds and of sufficient
fertility. a bountiful nature does the
rest. There arc several species of tall
growing Panicums, natives of our State,
and generally found in rich low grounds,