Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-06-17
fartt1 aud fireside.
GETTING RID OF Nit GRASS.

Hon. Thomas E. Watson appears in
new role-that of nut grass destroy
er. If his plan described below by his
facile pen efectually eradicates this
pest, Mr.. Watson is certainly entitled
to the thanks of the farming world.
Mr.. Watson says:
"Double crop the land and if you
don't get rid of nut grass, you may sue
me for the damages.
"On my home place the garden had
to be abandoned on account of this pest,
which had arrived as travelling COM
panion to some nursery stock. After
the garden, the orchard had to be given
up; then the adjoining lots, until a one
horse farm was practically abandoned.
~ tried several plans of extermina-
ting the invader and found that these
plans were just what the nut grass
wanted. 1t thrived on said plans and
pushed it's invasion further and further.
"At length, in 1894, I experimental
on one of the worst pieces by sowing it
in oats in the early fall. When the
freeze came which killed the oats, the
nuts, which the turn plow had turned
to the top, were also killed, and the
surface of the ground was covered with
dead nuts until it looked as if it had
been sown with black pebbles.
II waited till late in April and
scarcely sprig of the grass showed
itself. Corn was then planted, and
while some of the grass appeared, it
did not interfere With the cultivation
of the corn by an ordinary two horse
cultivator.
"Following this corn, sowed oats
and they are now ripening to a large
yield, with no nut grass to be seen,
GAS precaution, however, l will
follow the oats with peas or corn and
then again with rye or oats this fall.
"This method of treating nut grass
keeps the roots from jointing and keeps
the top from seeding.
"The hot sun kills the nuts you turn
up to it and freeze in the winter has
the same effect. By continually tear
ing up the roots, you prevent the un'
derground jointing, and by continually
turning under the top grass, you keep
it from going to seed.
"Now, how can any grass prosper
when you make war upon it at both
ends ? 1t just can't live in any peace,
and it quits trying.
"Last year, seeing the good effect Of
the plan adopted, I took in the old gar
den and orchard where the nut grass
was 80 heavily sodded it was almost
impossible to break it up well with q
turn plow.
"Planting corn in the water furrow
each blade of corn came up surrounded
by thousand blades of nut grass.
"The first working of the corn had
to be made with hoe. As soon as the
corn was large enough to plow with a
turn shovel, in we went to cover up the
nut grass. Another crop of grass ap-
peared as sassy as ever. In went the
turn plows again, neatly laying said
nuts with bare roots to the sun. a
feebler crop came next time and again
the turn plows turned them bottom
upwards. '.'
"By the time the corn matured, there
wasn't much nut grass, but to make
the treatment thorough, followed this
crop of corn with planting of forage
corn, and after that was cut away,
sowed rye. The grain was good and
there was only an occasional sprig Of
the grass to be seen anywhere in the
lot. Turning under the rye with q
Dixie turn plow, corn was planted. 1t
is now up and practically free of nut,
grass.
"To have conquered this garden spot
in 12 months time, conclusively proves
that nut grass can be whipped if you
will 20 at it with resolution.
"Keep the top turned under and bot.
tom turned up and you can get rid Of
nut grass without having to move of
the place.
$50 sure am I that this method is
an assured success that this year have
planted in corn all the balance of the
land which had been surrendered to
the pest, and I am convinced that nut
grass, like many other enemies of hu-
man industry, owes much of its tri-
umph to its reputation"