The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-14
Rermuda Pasture.

In the more thickly settled portions of the
country. where the tendency is yearly to-
ward a reduction in the size of farms, it
hecone5 a part of improved methods in
farming TO pay more regard to the estab-
Iishiny of better pastures. And when such
nastures are once obtained more care is
s,;ven to the proper economizing of them.
The old system of southern farming. of
,rbi,b cotton was the foundation and corn
+ba sunerstructure with a little fligree
work in the shape of some small grain, in
cInded no special attention to pasture. The
cornfelds were looked to to provide the
necessary pasturage for the cattle and hogs
for two or three months at the close of the
wear. and the cattle were allowed the range
of the cotton fields after picking was
finished. After January the reliance was
upon the-grazipg afforded by the woods,
and in mauy cases farmers were so fortu-
nate as to possess good cane brakes to help
them out. Then there were old sedge fields
discarded for some time as unfit for cotton
or corn. These in favorable years afforded
a considerable amount of roughness inferior,
it is true, but still very helpful in keeping
SUCK III D6dibny buOuSn AZ O1A
not make them roll in fat.
But, as remarked it was very rare oc-
currence that farmer large or small estab-
lished and maintained pastures with any of
the valuable plants specially adapted to the
purpose. By degrees nature forced upon
him areas of BERMUDA grass which he az
cepted rather with a curse upon it than
with grateful blessing; but as time wore
on he was led to regard with some COM
pIacency the possession Of field or two Of
this valuable grass, and he would actually
violate the traditions of the past by wishing
he had more of it and could obtain it as
easily as the first. Some regarded it this
way, but to this day waged an unrelenting
warfare upon Bermuda Gods grass, and
have never yielded square rod to it until
forced to do it. 1t has, however, conquered
considered area though the sheer force of
its own valor, and, like many good thing
that has had to force its way in spite of
obstacle and malediction, many an acre is
yet to be surrended to its benign and help
ful influence, and not grudgingly done,
either. 1t will be done in the most graceful
and conciliatory manner possible.
Those farmers who usually know good
thing when they see it, and who recognized
some years ago the possible relations of
Bermuda grass to the new agriculture" of
the south are now in best possible position
to admit the benefcient hand of Providence
in the spontaneous spread of this unequaled
pasture grass over our southern fields and
commons, especially in those sections of the
country where the surfacs is much broken
and where a long continued system of clean
culture has caused the fields to be broken
up into patches by innumerable gullies.
Circumstances must always alter cases.
To one Bermuda will be a great blessing
To others it may work apparent ill, not be
ing pepared to enter upon the system il
which it is regarded as a cornerstone Oh
course farmer who has no stock beyond 6
plow team or mich COW has need for but
a small area of pasture That little be
should make the very best possible.
The large majority of Intelligent farmer:
who own the soil they cultivate will NJ
doubt recognize the value Of having more
stock and better pastures from year tx
year.
For summer and fall pasture there is nc
grass superior to Bermuda for this latitude,
and when once well set on the land no act
could be more injudicious or wasteful than
the one that attempts TO destroy it. Instead
of destroying it it should be coaxed to de
its best by top-dressings of suitable manure
in the spring or early summer, and coca
sional borrowings or plowings as may ap
pear to be needed. A mixture of loo pounds
of nitrate of soda Tor in lieu of it 20 or &
pounds sulphate of ammonia, and 20t
pounds of acid phosphate is good applica
ton to begin with to establish first clas
pasture. Every year or two couple Of
hundred pounds of ground bone should b.
applied as a top-dressing in the spring, Civ
ing a thorough narrowing at the same tim'
with sharp-tooth harrow. In few years
it is possible to make on the poorest of land
as fine pasture as exists any where on earth
The only thing is to appreciate the value o
such pasture, and it can be secured witt
out any question. Before many more year.
we confidently expect to hear OF many
thousands of acres of Bermuda pasture anC
meadow In the south that will vie will
anything of the kind to be seen in thi
country or anywhere else.
Mineral Manure.
A correspondent desires some information
upon the so-called mineral" manures. anc