The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1907-01-03
Improving the Sod.

G. c. NJ, Roanoke, Va, writes: "I
wish to renovate ar old field which
has several grasses on it, such as
white clover, blue grass and some
orchard grass. I would like your
opinion as to narrowing we'll with
some sh~aTp-toothed harrow and SOW
ing the bare spots to Bermuda grass.
I do not like to pillow for the reason
that the tenants have nearly exhaust
ed the soil. The field is upland with
good clay subsoil with limestone IN
der-strata."
Answer-While Bermuda grass
w~ithstands the vicissitudes of a hot,
dry climate very we'll, like any other
useful crop, it makes its most vigor-
Gus growth on land we'll supplied
with available plant food. Judging
from the description contained in
your letter, the land on which you
wish to SOW this grass has been bad
ly abused for a number Of years and
is in a rundown condition. The sue
cess following sowing Bermuda grass
on the gall spots referred to is there
fore questionable. However, if Ber-
muda grass will not go, you are not
likely to have success with any Of
the tame grasses. Therefore run
e the land once or twice with a
disk so as to pulverize it as deeply
as possible, SOW the Bermuda grass
seed and cover lightly with a har-
row, and topdress with some farm
yard manure. It is not too late to
SOY Bermuda grass seed in this Sec
ton; in fact, earlier seeding would
be inadVisable with a grass that loves
warmth and sunlight as much as
Bermuda. You understand that in
advocating Bermuda grass, that
only do so on lands not adapted tC
blue grass, tall oat grass, orchard
grass, red top, or any of the standard
tame grasses which can be utilized
as a rule for hay and pasture to good
advantage on limestone soils or those
found at a considerable elevation
above sea-level. Bermuda grass i;
OF the greatest value to farmers re.
siding in the coastal plain region
and in some sections of Piedmont
Virginia. 1t is the grass par excel,
lence for the gulf States, where the
sun is exceedingly hot and the sum,
mers long and often dry.
Much of the land in the tab1eland
area Of the South, or in what is
known as the Appalachian region
that does not now produce satisfac.
tory crops Of tame grasses can be
brought in condition in the course
OF TWO or three years TO produce ths
most satisfactory kind Of hay ant
grazing, and where this can be done
1t will as a rule be advisable to US:
the tame grasses mentioned in pref
erence to Bermuda. For thin, wash
Ing, exhausted lands or those of {
sandy nature, however, Bermuda
stands without a rival, and if graZeG
quite closely SO as to keep the stems
tender cattle will thrive on it re
markedly well:-Andrew NJ. Soule.
Heated and Sprouted Cottonseed.
frequently large quantities OF
~cottonseed on the farm heat OF
sprout; and thereby become un.
suited either for the cotton oil OF
tor planting purposes, as the germs
IN the heating or sprouting process
nave been killed largely and the
OIL changed to a much d~eteriorated
1orm. Notwithstanding these
changes, the seed, from a fertiiizing
standpoint, are about as valuable
AFTER heating or sprouting as before
!" e. II seed have not been exposed
70 Inc weather too long and allowed