The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-06
The Forage Plants for the South.
RED TOP.


RED TOP
This grass is much better known to the
majority of our readers than most of those
~ have named thus far. 1t will flourish
m soils too vet for the successful growth of
i some species, and at the same time it will do
better on poor hill tops and sides than
good many other grasses.
Another common name for this grass is
herds grass, and it is known also as Burt"
grass. 1t is a perennial, and grows from
two TO three feet high, and even higher than
this on very rich soil. It is adapted to either
hay or pasture. When designed for hay it
should be cut before the seeds form, else it
becomes coarse, aud stock do not relish it
much.
In pasturing it should be kept grazed
tolerably close. Red top forms an immense
quantity of roots, and this characteristic
enables it to dry off wet land on which it
grows, and soon gets it in good condition
for cultivation. 1t is q good grass to COM
bine with others. oftentimes making a
catch where others fail.
IL nutritive quality it is about equal to
orchard grass and other commonly used
grasses; but, as a rule, stock do not relish
the hay as we'll as they do some other
grasses. 1t is very good grass to include IN
mixtures for medium lands, but it is not to
be commended for culture where better
grasses will thrive.
The red top is specially adapted to wet
sOlis-sOilS too wet for cultivation or for the
successful growth of other grasses and
clovers.
Either for hay or pasture purposes it is
adv isqhla n mi x kIIr
than trust to one simple species, and it will
oftentimes be found a profitable thing to
include one or two somewhat inferior
grasses or clovers. In old countries it is
common to have 8 mixture of ten or fifteen
for pasture purposes especially. Some Of
these mixtures, adapted to our section of
country will be given later. A meadow or
pasture seeded to just one kind of grass will
IN "a short while be overrun with worthless
weeds unless great care is taken to prevent
it by frequent pulling of the weeds before
they 60 to seed.
In any one county Of this state there are
in the aggregate hundreds of acres that lie
along the creeks and branches, besides the
many marshy places that crop out here and
there over the low lands These places have
been left to the willows, alders, briars and
coarse swamp grasses, and constitute very
unslghtly places on the farm, yielding no
return at all or none worth speaking of. OF
course the soil Is rich. and if this worthless
growth We're cut out and herds grass or red
top seed broadcasted over the land at the
rate of two bushels per acre it would not be
longer than q couple of years before nice
little meadow or pasture took the place of
the unsightly briars and alders aud the like
and In a few years more the maTshy places
would be dried off sufficiently to allow of
cultivation if it was desired to cultivate it.
Short Chapters on Vegetable Culture
MUSTARD.
For greens few plants are superior to mus
tRrd. in our judgment it is inferior only
to spinach, and it can divide the honors
easily with this vegetable. The two varie-
ties. white and black, can be sOwn in the
fall or very early in the spring. There is
little difference between the two as greens,
but the tender leaves of the white are fire.
quently used as a salad raw, while the
black is not. Commercial mixture is made
from the seeds of the white, which are of a
yellow color. The seeds of the black mus
tard are brown. Besides these two there is
variety with much larger leaves known as
Chinese mustard. All three are good kinds,
and one or the other should have place in
the garden, for mustard is wholesome and
used freely in the spring has tendency to
improve the blood and purify the system.
1t is cultivated the same as turnips. On
good land hoeing OF two makes the crop
1t is grown to a considerable extent by mar
ket gardeners near the large cities. We
need not go further than spinach and mus
tard for our greens. Fer such purpose
they lead the van, for they are not SURPASSED
by any others.
OKRA.
1t is only in recent years that the cultiva-
ton Of okra has amounted TO much III this
country outside of the southern states. 1t
is a southern vegetable, and is rarely left
out of the home gardens. Its culture is be-
ing extended at the north and west. AS a
components OF soups it is an exceedingly
desirable vegetable and likewise it is the
case where the tender pods are prepared and
served in the same manner as asparagus.
BY all odds the best variety Is the southern
smooth pod, given the unwarranted name
In late years of "Velveb okra.n 1t has re-
placed entirely Tor should do it, the ribbed
sorts, both dwarf and tall. The pods OF
this variety do not split open when they
become dry, and are free from that fuzzi-
ness possessed by the other varieties. 1t is
therefore much pleasanter to handle. For
summer complaint the muoilage quality OF
the okra proves something Of an antidote,
and 1t IS vegetable especially wholesome
for children. The pods must be gathered
while small and perfectly tender-when
about two inches long.
Okra can be dried like apples and
peaches for winter use. The pods should be
gathered while still tender, though five or
eight inches long. These should be cut into
small pieces and dried in the sun or oven,
Put the dried okra into paper bags for USE
IN soup until green okra comes again.
Okra is planted at the same time as cot
ton-either the latter part of March OF
early in April. The rows should be three
feet apart and plant left every ten OF
twelve inches in the row. Prepare the soil
deeply. Sow enough seed to insure stand
Thin out promptly as soon as the plants are
up good, and cultivate shallow few times
except on the few plants set apart fol-
making seed. Keep the pods cut off closely
and allow none to get hard. The first plant
Ing itself will then bear nearly II not fully
up to frost. To be sure of having plants of
okra in the fall for table use and drying il
is advisable to plant second crop in June
Drill the seed in shallow burrows on the
level or on slightly raised beds. Cover
lightly with a rake. and use roller Of
some kind to refrm the soil about the
SEEDS
The okra plant is as free from the depre-
cations of insects as any plant grown
Within the past four wears we have seen