The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-09-07
CRAB GRASS.


Better . Naked, Exposed Soil Than Cow
ering of Crab Grass.
It is fashionable for agricultural
writers and editors to advise farmers
to grow crab grass for hay. In the
light of our own experience and OBJ
servation, we consider this very bad
advice. As injurious as entire naked
ness during summer is to our soil, we
would prefer nakedness and exposure
TO our summer sun to a covering OF
crab grass We admit that 1t makes .
cheap hay, which is relished by all
kinds of stock, but not SO nutritious as
hay from pea vines, and but little
cheaper, when the heavier yield of pea
vines per acre Is considered. There
are three serious objections to growing
crab grass upon our cultivated lands,
viz:
/. It stocks the soil with seed, which
will greatly increase the cost of Guilt
waiting the crop which is to follow, and
if any of the seed are ripe when the hay
is harvested, the manure from the ami
mails fed will contain the seed, which
pass through undiRested and with their
vitality unimpaired on account of their
small size, and consequently escape
from mastication.
2. 1t leaves the land full of tussoclss
of roots and gives much trouble In the
preparation of the land for the next
crop. In fact, we rarely see land up
on which a crop of crab grass grew the
previuos year half prepared for the
next crop. If it is put in good condi-
ton, the additional labor necessitated
bv the presence of the crab grass roots
increases the cost of producing the
next crop.
3. 1t impoverishes the soil more than
any crop we have ever grown. Ger
man millet Is generally considered an
exhaustive crop. but the facts which
we give below show that crab grass is
far more exhaustive than millet. 1t,
being a true grass, is a nitrogen con-
sumner. Its multitude of fibrous roots,
parmeating every particle Of the soil.
furnishing the means of effecting q
thorough robbery.
, While director of the Alabama ex-
pertinent station, we decided to COM
pare German millet and crab grass as
|. hay producers. We selected two meas
ured acres, which previous cropping
had shown to be of equal fetility; pre-
pared them alike and applied equal
, quantities of the same brand of com
mercial manure to the two acres. The
only difference in the treatment OF the
two was that German millet seed was
sown upon one and the crab grass al
, lowed to grow upon the other.
, The yield of hay upon the two acres
, varied only 200 pounds in favor OF thu
crab grass, which was cut twice, thu
; millet once. The next year both acre.
: were planted to cotton and treatet
, alike in every respect.
, From the termination Of the seed t.
. the maturity of the crop, the crab gras
' acre presented the appearance OF al
) unfertilized plot. The yield OF cottol
r was reduced one-half as the effect o
4 the crop of crab grass the previou
{ year. In our opinion the injury whic
r a crop of crab grass causes is not com
: pensated for by the value OF the GRO
o of hay grown.
d Every farmer is familiar with the in
e furious effects of this grass upon grow
: ing crops. If they fully appreciate
d its effects upon the subsequent pre-
d ductiveness of the soil, they would pu
+ forth more strenuous efforts to extel
o inmate it.-Cor. Agricultural South.