Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-04-26
CONTROLLING BERMUDA.

By F. A. Mitchell, Chandler, Okla.
Bermuda Is a southern grass. Il
delights in sunshine and warmth.
1t has as mortal enemies shade and
cold. In common with all vegetation
II must have moisture. To destroy a
bermuda sod use any or AL OF these
enemy agencies. In the fan pbow
the bermuda sod as shallow as posi-
bic. Every freeze stir 1t that it may
be subjected to the frost. Early in
the spring seed to oats. They will
shade. After the oats ane harvested
plow 1t again about four inches deep.
Keep stirring during the dry, hot
weather. Seed to cane OF cowpeaS in
August. Your bermuda will be a
thing of the dead and pathetic past.
When YOU compare the crops before
and after the bermuda YOU will say
What change from the scenes Of
my early recoNections. Every year
that bermuda is upon the land it is
adding dollars to its value in fertility.
In Mississippi before the war there
were worn out cotton plantations
abandoned and sold to the state for
taxes. They were set to bermuda.
Now they are more fertile than ever
before. The gullies are filled. The
washy hillsides are carpeted with Der
muda The stony points are produc-
tive. Upon all Of these horses, cat
tie and hogs are grazing and grow
ing. In the valleys hay is grown for
winter feed. If We must have one
crop, farmers, let that one crop be
the big creeping, hardy bermuda.
do not find many men who have Der.
muda who are trying to control it.
Let it take the land. We had rather
have bermuda and prosperity than
clean cultivation and soil erosion.
When see bermuda creeping out up
on my white aAkali beds say let it
creep and take the Land. When | see
a wash between every cotton row
try to estimate how long it would
take to wash all of the soil away.
"Uneeda" bermuda pasture upon such
land l am setting bermuda all over
my place. 1t will take my land"
want it to. 1t pays better than any
thing have ever tried.
When it gets into my orchard ]
Shall plow it in April and June
when it gets into my garden l will
treat it to heavy dressing of ma.
nure and pillow it in the fall. Seed to
cowpeas, then pillow and seed 10 COW.
peas again. After that what a seed
bed We will have for our garden
truck. We don't want bermuda in
Our gardens. But it will get there
Just the same. We don't want trou-
tble in the amen corner. But 1t gets
there Just the same. Take bermuda
and religion out of Oklahoma, little
would there be left. We haven Z
enough of either.
Bought steer for $3.50. In ont
year sold 1t for $40. An income d
$3.50 from one acre of land. Hall
in cane and half in bermuda. DOM
care how soon cane and bermuda
takes my land. Cattle leave lots OF
manure besides the cash. Last fall
when l sold my hogs off the Der
mllda pasture as l had no corn to
feed l wished that bermuda would
take more of my land so could
raise more hogs to buy more land
to have taken by the bermuda grass
pest.
In many instances our homes ape
mortgaged. Bermuda grass and live
stock is the farmers friend and the
mortgage Inter. am not asking
you to do some untried or expensive
thing. Just get some bermuda and
see it. Save all the colts, calves, pig
and chickens you can. Plant plenty
Of cane and kaffir for feed Plant a
great big garden. Enough foq your
family and three others, as they are
dependent upon us. We will plant
all the cotton We can take care of
We are in the cotton belt and should
always raise some cotton. 1t is our
great cash crop. We can make money
out OF cotton if We win raise as much
as possible of what We eat and feed
our stock. Cotton alone will bring
poverty and ignorance. Diversified
farming will bring prosperity and
enlightenment.
The recent rains have filled the
soil with moisture and our minds
with hope and cheer. The world is
looking to us for food and clothing.
Let US put our hands to the pillow
and not look back. The time is OF
| rNOy%,,.,o nlo ho.,-o.x -. =