The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-08-06
FARMER AND PLANTER,
JOHNSON GRASS.

JOHNSON GRASS.
Cho Bane of the Texas Farmers Exis tence
ann How to Subdue 1t.
My experience with Johnson grass, or
Means grass, extends hack about ten
years. l had about quart of seed
given me then, and being wholly igno-
rant of it's habits, and it being rec
commended as the best grass / could
get to SOW at the head of washes to stop
them, / used the seed in $780, and the
next year 1 had German millet sowed
near the patch of grass. When the
millet was ripe l saw dozen or more
heads of the grass foot higher
than the millet. These stalks of
grass were carefully dug out and the
land rescued from destruction by the
grass by the timely use of the grubbing
hoe. The patch had saved was within
fifty yards of pasture, and the fence
was moved so as TO inclose it in the
pasture, where / had horses, mules,
and calves to Craze it down, and in two
years it was exterminated. But tony
astonishment the seed had been carried
to other places in the corners of the
fences. The fences were moved and
the digging was thorough, taking out
every 3oot, as we thought; but the next
spring the plat was larger, and merely
thinned out. And again, had my
thresher out in the neighborhood, and a
neighbor had them to thresh some of
the grass. After it was threshed they
threshed 700 bushels of oats for another
neighbor. My instructions were for
the thresher to be thoroughly cleaned
out before they came home, which they
said they did After it was brought
home had some stacks of millet out in
the field to thresh. The next spring
the land was planted in corn and
found several stalks of the grass, and
was sure each one was dug out
clean. But some stalks or punches
escaped and l suppose went to seed,
as it was not looked after any more,
thinking we were safe in that field.
The more we worked at it the worse
scattered it seemed to be, and 1 was at
my wits end-did not know what to do
but something must be done, and that
quickly, or one of the best plantations
in the South would be lost | hauled
out cotton seed, and where a bunch was
four feet across two-horse wagon load
was piled on the spot where the grass
grew, and left in the middle three feet
deep. That exterminated it. But had
too many places to use seed on. Some
thing else must be used. l had grass
cut on the prairie, as / would for stock,
was foot across l placed the hay on
that place six or eight feet across and
three feet deep. That exterminated
it. And when patch was ten
feet across the hay was spread
over twenty feet. BY all means
have the mulch extend four feet beyond
the edges, and have the hay three feet
deep after it is tramped hard. No not
be nice about it, but the more you place
on 1.-THE deeper it is buried-the bet
ter; and while you are at it don't forget
you are burying the worst enemy the
Texas farmer has had to contend with.
Now / have told you how to do in
comparatively level land. l had
patch of it come up in the bottom of a
ditch two feet deep. turned the ditch
around it and threw the dirt on top of
it. The next June it came out look
ing as fine as before, and as it was
then on level had recourse to the
hay and was mastered. I have a
large creek running through my place,
and some seed, by some means, got a
Judgment in the side of the bank. That
is the only place l now dread, and it
must be stopped, and 1 am satisfied l
will solve the problem after awhile.
At present I keep all the seed pulled
off while in bloom. The straw from old
straw stacks, if not too rotten, will an
swer. l have used some weedy grass,
where the weeds made it of less value
for feed for stock, but have it five or
six feet deep Frequently when saw
ing hay we have some of it caught in a
rain. That is the best to destroy the
grass with, as it will pack better than
dry hay. Place it on wet, or as fast as
it is cut by the machine, so it will be
packed.
l think the farmers in the timber,
where they do not NOW any, can pull
the corn off, and while the fodder is yet
green, place the stalks straight and
compact on the grass. But think it
would have to be three or four feet
deep. / have never removed the hay
from a patch of johnson grass in less
than two years, and am willing for it to
remain much longer if necessary to ex-
terminate it. The time is not far off
when farmers in search of homes will
avoid neighborhood where it is
troublesome to farmers. l am aware
that am not clear of it forever, as the
seed will be brought from my neighbours
fields, but eternal vigilance, and plenty
of hay, will do the work.. w. Sim
mons, in Texas Farm and Ranch.
CATTLE FEEDING.
Conclusions Reached as the Result of
Careful Experiment.