The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-10-04
BERMUDA GRASS.
Editor Cotton Plant:

Editor Cotton Plant:
AS ! am housed to-day by welcome
rain, will try to fulfill promise
made you some time since, that is to
give you part of my experience with
Bermuda grass. Several years ago l
was appointed to write an article on
the grasses, for our summer meeting
of the State Agricultural and Mechan-
ical Society, which met at Spartan
burg. When my article was read,
taking high grounds in favor of Bcr.
muda grass, n gentleman jumped up,
and while he did not call me fool, he
intimatcd as much, and warned those
present against this grass as n danger
Gus enemy, saying that it would run
over n twelve acre field in n week l
had laudcd this grass as blessing
not appreciated by our people, rs it
will grow on almost any kind of land,
either dry or moist, 80 it is not cover
ed by water. On good land it will
make heavy crops of the best hay.
and on poor, worn out land makes the
best Of pastures. When a good stand
is secured, it is 80 well protected that
stock may tramp it without injuring
the soil or killing the grass. II has
taken entire possession Of many fields
in this section without the aid of the
owner of the land. There are hun
drcds Of acres in this vicinity, of as
fine pastures as you can find any where,
and all without a sprig having been
planted. This looks as if 1t had been
seeded, but the theory is that no seed
ever natures in this climate, though
some think it docs mature seed under
favorable conditions, and | am in
clined to that opinion, as it gets into
farms in a way that can't be accounted
for unless the seed gets about like crab
grass.
BE that as it may, it is gaining popu.
larity and is blessing to our people,
who never think Of pastures or their
them. The late Gov. Ilagood was the
only one that know Of who planted
it for hay, which he did after fine
bottom of river land had been taken
by it. He told me that he had forty
acres planted by having the roots cut
into short pieces and sown broad cast
and plowcd in, which made him l-2
ions to the acre the next spring, and
presume 1t is still kept up. Col. II. J.
Moore, Of Spartanburg, has given up
his fine river bottom corn land to it.
think, like Gov. Hagood, a good deal
of his was volunteered when he saw
its value and enlarged its dominions.
The late DR.. Rayencl, of Charleston,
told me that he made six tons of fine
hay to the acre at the phosphate works
near Charleston, and yet see 1t stated
that some farmers near there say that
it don't grow high enough to cut on
their land. | am inclined to suspect
that they have gotten the old wire
grass, which somewhat resembles The
Bermuda, but differs in many respects
The wire grass has been here for ages,
| presume. 1t is never discussed, but
the Bermuda has come within my
memory. 1t is said that Drs. Nichols
and Goldirg took Il trip West, and
brought back few sprigs and planted
them near their gardens. From this
small beginning came what we have,
80 it is thought, but it has certainly
spread rapidly to depend entirely on
The roots being carried by water or the
feet Of cattle. My ncighl,or, DR.. Frank
Fuller, makes a large lot Of fine hay,
yet he had about 200 acres well set be-
fore he realized what Il treasure he
had.
The wire grass makes fine pasture,
all stock are fond OF it, but it never
grows high enough to cut for hay. 1t
differs from the Bermuda in color, and
the seed vessels arc but two, coming
out at the end Of the stem, while the
Bermuda has from three to seven, usu
ally four, which comes out at the end
of the stem, even, like the arms of an
umbrella. The color of the wire grass
is like rye, while the Bermuda is like
wheat. enclose you samples of each.
! don't know whether the wire grass
seeds also the seed vessels of the
crab grass, which comes in pairs down
the stem. Nature has been very good
to our people in sending us Bermuda
grass and lcspcdcza striata, which has
spread over our pastures without the
help Of man, for which wo should be
very grateful to mcrciful God.
1t is embarrassing for me to describe
grasses, as / know nothing of botany,
though | hope your readers may be
able to understand what I have writ
ten, and that you may be able to de-
ciphor what l have written with q
crippled forehngcr. With many good
wishpa