The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-07
Florida Oranges ana Grass.


I send you by express some samples of
the st. Augustine grass and the Detwiler
lawn grass, or st. Lucie grass as it is
known in its wild state The st. Augustine
grass is classed, botanically, as stenotaph-
rum dimidiatum, bus is known in South
Carolina as Charleston lawn grass, while
in Florida it takes its name from st. Au-
CUISINE, where it abounds as a lawn grass.
1t comes from over the ocean and in New
South Wales is known as Buffalo grass,
while in Jamaica it is called Pjmento
grass 1t has broad long leaf and coarse
stems, the leaves tapping on to each other
along the stems. On low damp ground, es-
pecialy near the sea coast this grass
thrives and forms a heavy coarse carpet
of green. In higher and dryer sections it
is used more under trees where Bermuda
and other finer grasses do not do wen.
There is no trouble in propagating this
grass rapidly and easily from cuttings or
roots although the latter is preferable.
Of the st. Lucie grass l know nothing
botamcaiy, but it hOurishes about st.
Lucie, on the east coast of Florida, and
Col. John Y. Detwiler, of New SMYRNA
also higher UP on the east coast, carried
quantity of il home and domes heated it
from a wild state and calls it the Det-
muda, of thicker growth and has fine
short roots like the strawberry plant. On
this account ii has become valuable where
plants and trees are numerous. II does
not like Bermuda, penetrate deep into their
roots, and Is also easily eradicated. My ex-
periments on sandy mounds in shade and
sun, dry and wet soil, have all been very
gratifying and do not Hesitate to can it
the best lawn grass now grown. But il
ha hnr in, mi, 4L,4
however good, viii make desirable lawn
or prove permanently satisfactory un9ess
properly set out and carefully attended to-
There is nothing more attractive about a
farm house or city residence than a Well
kept lawn. 1t costs money or takes your
time and labor, yet nothing pays better in
the end. Grounds covered with weeds and
foul grass are never desirable.
Before the great freeze orange culture
was the almost sole object sought after
by settlers in South Florida, as well as
some other parts of the state. Truck
farming was unknown and few good gar
dens were cultivated. The everglades and
river bottoms were covered with cattle
but mich cows were unheard of in those
regions. 1 remember well that when
first began my winter visits to this state
to write up its resources for the Morning
News, some twenty years years or more
ida where / could get a glass of sweet
milk to drink. And it was nearly ten
years later that dairy cows were fairly
introduced here. Grass was considered a
| nuisance, and Florida sand was famous
| because ii meant a big crop of oranges
| Then the great freeze came and in a night
millions of dollars worth of property was
| swept away. In many groves grass was
given unlimited sway, and soon the own
tn nd M
with which to buy hay, began TO cultivate
and treasure it. Soon horse rakes and
| moving machines were needed to cut the
crop of grass. With this new era of grass
| culture came that of good dairy cows. The
| famous Jerseys were introduced more ex-
tensively and big dairy farms established,
| as hotels that has previously always
| used canned condensed milk, began to seek
| the home product During the summer
| when these great winter hotels close the
milk is in demand for butter making. To-
day, partly the result of the freeze, Flor
ida can boast of her large hay farms her
| dairy cattle and her prime butter. North
! ern butter, baed hay and condensed milk
have largely been displaced by home pro-
! ducts. Bermuda grass, st. Augustine, St.
| Lucie, Texas blue grass, beggar weed, etc,
| are widely cultivated for hay and pastur-
! age for dairy cows and horses. As to
sand spur grass, one of your readers sug-
! gests that it could be cultivated for hay.
Not here in Florida, where ripe sand
| spur is considered our greatest nuisance.
But I think, from my own experience that
| it might be made good grazing grass II
| kept down so that the spur could not de-
velop. II is a green, succulent, thrifty
! grass, very hard to eradicate when once it
gets a good foothold. Sidney Herbert.
Pine Crest Villa. Fla SIS