Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-17
BERMUDA GRASS is BEST.
For Pasturage and Lawn Purposes It
Has No Superior.

Harper. director of the experiment
station, lis the best southern grass
Bermuda was introduced into this
country about eighty-five years ago
from the Bermuda Islands. 1t came to
those islands from England, and it is
thought that it's original home was In
dia 1t is the most valuable grass the
south possesses, and is the best for
pasturage and lawn purposes. It's
true value is not yet appreciated even
by its most ardent advocates. There
are several varieties Of this grass
other mainly in the size of stems and
spikelets and in hardness. Some of
the smaller hardy types are two to
three weeks earlier in making their
coarser varieties.
There are other species of grass Of
ten mistaken by the farmer for Ber-
muda, and for this reason Bermuda is
sometimes denounced as being worth
less. Tine grasses most commonly mis-
taken for Bermuda are wire grass
(Eleusne indica) and Egyptian grass,
(dactylOctenium aegyptinem)
When grown on well improved soil
and well treated, Bermuda will afford
during six months of the year as much
grass as the average blue grass pasture
of Kentucky. ] have known one acre
to furnish all the food for six calves
during the summer months. Three
acres of this grass on improved land
will pasture fifteen brood sows with
their litters, without other food than
that afforded by five acres of forage
crops. When grown on ricn bottom
erly fertiliZed, Bermuda makes a
splendid meadow, as it can be cut twice
during the season. often yielding three
to four tons of excellent hay. Bermuda
hay is rich in carbohydrates and makes
as good hay as timothy. 1t is well
suited for work stock, but not so good
for dairy cattle.
Thirty-one years ago an agricultural
writer had this to say about this
grass: IN one respect it is the most
remarkable grass within our knowledge,
as. one can with equal ease find that it
is the most valuable of all grasses and
one that is to restore wOrn-out fields
and bring untold blessings wherever
introduced, as that on the other hand
it is q curse to the soil, and that when
it once gets q footing on the soil the
| owner may as well give it up at once
as to do so at the end Of struggle in
which he is sure to be worsted."
Fortunately we have found out that
Bermuda is not so serious a weed enc
my; for, as it does not mature seed to
any extent in this country, and spreads
stems, it can be easily kept in check
AS it is a tropical plant and requires
plenty of sunlight. it can be easily
eradicated in three years BY shading
it out with winter legumes, such as
vetch, planted with oats, followed by
a summer legume. such as peas or vel
vet beans. 1t does not damage cotton
the extent that does crab grass, and a
good crop of corn can be made, if pro-
perly cultivated, in the field badly in
tested with Bermuda.
Bermuda is of great benefit to tn"
soil, in that it prevents washing and
fills the soil with innumerable fibrOus
roots which produce the best form of
humus. If planted in the fall it can
be grown with oats or vetch. 1t is a
splendid plant for terrace banks. rail-
road banks and pond banks to prevent
them from washing in. 1t requires
plenty of sunlight and cannot be grown
in shady places.
Bermuda can be propagatcd by SON.
ing the seed or by planting pieces Of
| sod A good way to obtain a sod is
to break the land with a turnplow ev-
cry IL inches. This can be done al
most any time during the year. but it
| is best done i'm early spring. If plant
| ed in the spring it should follow some
winter legume: if planted in the fall il
should follow COW peas. soy beans, vel
vet beans, or beSgar weed After plant
| ing the sod. the land should be well
| narrowed to max" the pasture smooth
and even.
Cattle should be turned into the pas
turc as soon as possible to keep down
weeds. which. if allowed to grow. will
ruin the Bermuda. Bur clover or vetch
can be sown in the fall in a Bermuda
pasture. The grass is usually ready
for good pasture by June |. After IT
| has remained four or five years. IT
should be ploughed up in early spring
and planted in cowpeas, which will
| improve the physical condition of the
soil and add nitrogen, most beneficial
| to the Bermuda. If the pasture is
hide bound" and a poor quality of
grass is produced. Another good way
t. treat a Bermuda pastur" j. to
plough it in the early fall and harrow
in about six pecks of rye.
| bermuda is heavy feeder on nitro
gen and should be fertiiZcd with an
application of nitrat" Of soda. Sulphate
Of ammonia, or cotton seed meal about
the middle of every April Acid phoS-
phate should be applied every four
years at the rate of 300 or 400 pounds
per acre. \ good tim" to apply this
| is when the land is broken i'm tn"
the spring preparatory t" planting tn
| cOwpeas in the Bermuda. Lime is also
very beneficial, applied at the rat" of
900 pounds cvedy eight years. If
Bermuda is planted with Texas blue
grass, white clover and common v"tch.
Il pasture can be obtained that will af-
ford goods grazing for or 10 months