St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1901-05-25
FARMER ANDP PLANTER.
ABOUT JOHNSON GRASS
View IL That II
Ha. Both Good and Bad
Qualities.

This grass has been in cu,,;r.,;
IN TINS country since about 1880. and
Is now quite generally distributed
through the gulf states. It GROW.
pest on the rich and heavy lime soils
OF the oiack-prairie region and along
the creek bottoms of the vellov
loan region, and is rarely seen in the
pine-Woods region near the coast IN
localities where it grows well if !. .t
the same time one of the most yalu-
auie nay grasses and the most from
6iesome and pestiferous weed. AS \
pasture grass it has but little yalue
as 1t begins its growth late in the
season, and the tops are killed nv tbe
/ nrst heavy frost in autumn. IFS larga
and fesh rootstocks are near the snr-
race ana are so injured by tram
ping that the grass soon almostwhol-
~ disappears from the fields, though
there IS always enough left to restock
the land when it is again brought I'M
der the pillow. Its greatest value is as
hay grass, and for that purpose it can
not be eNcelled. On land which l.
suited to its growth it will give nj
least three cuttings annually. and
make a total yield of from three to
nve tons per acre. The hay is coarse
ana not attractive in appearance. but
stock of all kinds eat il preed;lv
seeming to prefer it to any other
hay Liverymen who have used it
staoe that 1T IS the best hay they can
find, but it is rarely fed in stables
where there is a ready sale for the
manure. for the seeds spread the
grass wherever the manure NAV be
used But if the hay is cut, as it
should be, before the heads appear.
the manure from it can do no harm.
When cultivated for hay the roots
form such a dense mat in three or
four years that the yield is much
lessened. The ground should then be
plowed and thoroughly narrowed dur
ing the winter or early spring, after
which the grass will make a growth
as vigorous as ever. The yield of
hay is largely increased by sowing
sweet clover with it, as the latter
makes its first growth so early in the
spring as to afford an additional cut
ting. while its deep biennial roots
serve to keep the soil in a much bet
ter chemical and mechanical condi-
ton.
The objections to the cultivation OF
johnson grass are the rapidity with
which it spreads to fields where it is
not wanted, and the great difficulty
IN Graduating it when it has become
established. It will soon almost dis
appear when fields are pastured, but
the roots remain alive and will again
take possession of the field as soon
as it is plowed. Instances are known
where fifteen and even twenty years
of continuous pasturing have failed
q produce any appreciate effect on
the vitality Of the roots. When there
are only occasional small patches of
it in field they can be destroyed by
hoeing and covering with salt to the
depth of half an inch. but when it
covers any considerable portion Of a
field the only practicable method Of
killing it is by weekly hoeings con-
tinued from early spring until late
summer. On sandy soils it can be
readily killed in this manner, but on
heavy clay or black lands the work
is more difficult and will require a
longer time. In any case, the fields
should be watched constantly for
plants which are almost sure to make
their appearance from seeds washed
in from adjoining fields,o dropped by
birds, cattle or passing teams. 1t is so
difficult to eradicate that it is rarely
advisable to sow it on clean land, but
If it il already established on the land
it is often better to encourage it than
to fight it, as a heavy crop of good
hay is more profitable than an ordi-
nary crop Of either corn or cotton
Ex United States Farmers Bulletin.
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