The Monticellonian., 1894-10-19
Bermuda Grass.
The Following Paper Was Read by Judge s. ). Matthews, of this City, Before the Farmers
 Institute Last Week.

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN:
 BERMUDA GRASS"
 Is the short text for the homily with which, for about a quarter of of an hour, propose to try the patience or put 10 sleep those of you who may stay to stand the in- fiction.
 From an experience covering nearl y the third of a century with Bermuda Grass (during which pe- riod, l have tested along side of it we'll nigh every other grass and forage plant that has been recom- mended as of value in our climate) 1 can say without qualification that in my judgment it is worth immensely more than all the oth- CTS (oxcepting perhaps the field or COW pea) put together.
 It succeeds far better than any other grass on poor land. In fact while no other cultivated grass will pay, at all on poor land-de- cidedly the best use to which such land can be put, in the cotton re- zion, is to get it well set with Bermuda grass. While, on the other hand there is nothing that pays better for being planted on rich land and abundantly fertiiz- ed, than Bermuda grass
 Hill sides that under ordinary tillage are in a few years washed into red gals and yawning gull lies will, if set in Bermuda. not onl Y remain intact but gain annu- ally in fertility. Creek bottoms Chat owing to the clearing up of the lands above them) are beng overfiown deeper and their soils washed away worse year by year so that already they (which but for the Overfows would be our most productive lands, are rapidly deteriorating in productiveness- would fin Bermuda not only con- stitute the finest of meadows but be put in process of becoming all the time richer. perforce of the very agent that is now impover- ishing them, viz: their Inundation, for a Bermuda sward not onl y pre- vents water from carrying away the soil but catches and retains as sediment the fertilizing detritus and debris that the water brings upon it.
 Bermuda succeeds to perfection on glades and swales and on "hog wallow" and "buck shot' soils that are too wet, stiff and non-iria- ble for ordinary culture.
 And so, large portions of nearly all the farms of this region ought to be in Bermuda because of their eminent suitableness tor that and unsuitableness for other purposes. But the merits of Bermuda are such as to we'll warrant it's extend ed cultivation even if that necessi- tated curtailment of the area that is now devoted 10 other crops. Probably an acre of very rich land sown with some of the courser miliets or sorghums would yield a greater quantity of forage than it would of Bermuda hay though considering that repeated mowings can be made from Der muda meadow from May till No vember this is not altogether cer tain. while regards quality and nu- trient value none of them are de- serving to be mentioned in the same sentence with Bermuda.
 Teams will do fairly good work during Sping, Summer and Fall upon no other food than good Bermuda pasture affords. While timely cut and properly cured, Bermuda hay contains but little less nu.riment, pound for pound, than grain and If the alternative wero between feeding upon corn alone or Bermuda hay alone, l am confident the hay should be preferred.
 Most all grasses and forage plants require to be cut at a par ticular stage ot their growth or maturity as otherwise the hay from them is we'll nigh worthless and with many of them such stage