The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-21
DERaIUDA GRASS FOR D1IzEs.
I. d. Graham and Prof Ten Es ok
Disagree With Norris l.. Gage

IL =
To the Editor of the state Journal:
Under date of July 16 Mr.. Norris
L. Gage. who is very well and favor
ably known in Topeka. makes some
statements in the Journal about
Bermuda grass which Councilman
Jordan had proposed as a protective
covering for the bikes. which seemed
TO me to be lacking in some
essentials.
Bermuda grass is a tropical plant
of enormous vitality and rapid
growth. It's root system is such that
it is one of the best possible soil
binding grasses while its drought re-
slsting properties and its ability to
recuperate from damage by flood
poses suggested by Councilman Jor-
dan. In the south it is very difficult
to eradicate from cultivated fields but
in Kansas this difficulty does not exist
as it can be easily destroyed by ploW-
ing and then narrowing out the roots.
The chief objection to Councilman
Jordan's proposition lies in the fact
that Bermuda grass does not with
stand frost. In southern Kansas this
grass has grown for several years with
out winter killing. 1t is a most ex-
cellent pasture grass and good
lawn grass in dry localities where the
rainfall is too slight for Kentucky
Professor A. M. Ten Eyek of the
Kansas Agricultural college, than
whom there is no higher authority.
has been asked to prepare an article
on Bermuda grass for the informa-
ton Of those citizens who are direct
ly interested in the bikes as well as
those farmers to whose land the
grass might spread. This article is
as follows: Yours truly,
I. D. GRAHAM
Bermuda Grass.
f(tWn0dOn lOaGIX-
lon) is a creeping perennial me
creeping stems produce nodes or joints
at intervals and each nodulo is capa-
BILE of producing a new plant. IheSe
stems extend laterally, sometimes :
to Is feet, in a single season, and the
joints take root as they come In con-
tact with the earth. From the under
ground creeping stems arise numerous
leafy branches four to ten inches in
height, and this is the part that is cut
for hay, furnishing usually light
-ield at a single cutting but the nay
is very nutritious and of good quality
because of the large percentage OF
leaves The grass may be cut for nay
several times in the season. Usually
on soil of ordinary fertility, but if
heavily fertilized the grass grows
much more rapidly and more rank
In one report when nitrate of soda was
used as a fertilizer yields of two tons
Of hay per acre were harvested at a
single cutting. On ordinary land
without fertilization, however; the
yields of hay usually do not exceed
two or three tons per acre, and to Sc
cure this yield the grass must be cut
several times in the season.
Bermuda grass has always been
considered more valuable for pasture
than for hay. 1t is unquestionably the
best pasture in the south, but 1t is a
warm weather grass and is not adapt
ed for growing in Kansas except, per-
haps in the southern counties of the
state. The grass is being grown some
in your section of the state and sew
eral farmers have reported that it is
apparently hardy.
Bermuda grass is particularly Valu-
able also as soil binder, since II
spreads very rapidly by creeping stems
which root at the joints, producing
new plants, hence, often a single
twenty square feet of soil in year,
where the grass grows thriftily. Where
Bermuda grass is hardy and grows
well 1t is a difficult plant to eradicate
from the lawn, orchard or cultivated
field But this tenacious quality
makes if especially valuable for pas
ture and it is really not an Impossible
grass to eradicate in cultivated ground.
Bermuda grass is not hardy enough
for growing in this state except per-
haps in the southern counties and then
it NAV be destroyed in winter by plow-
ing and dragging the roots out with
harrow. In fact, the difficulty has
been even in southern Kansas to keep
the grass from winter killing, and at
this station we have not found it fully
hardy though we have succeeded in
wintering it two winters in succession,
but it killed out the third winter"