The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-06


in these columns In regard to the cur
ms of clover hay. There is no doubt
hut that the best way to cure IL is to
| put II in the NOV while still somewha
limp and have always practiced this
| with clover and other legumes such
as cowpeas and soy beans. But 1 think
that your neighbor is rather too radi-
cal In his treatment of the hay
try to cure all legume hay with as lit
! Tie exposure to the sun as practicable
! The tedder is run after the mower to
toss up the hay and hasten its COM
| piete whiting. l NOW only till noon
every day, and rake the morning S
! cut into winrows the same afternoon.
| Turn the winrows the next morning
| and cock the hay that afternoon in
COCKS as narrow and tall as will stand
well. Then, when | can take \ hand
| tull and twist 1t hard, and can wiring
no sap to the twist, | haul it in and
/ let it settle in tho NOW of its own
weight with as little tramping as
, practicable. 1t will then heat some.
but IL let alone It will cure bright
and sweet with the leaves OF A green
color when cured
Some years ago I sent some of my
cowpea hay to the former editor OF
the Southern Planter Englishman
he had seen in this country, and looked
like English hay. the leaves being still
green In color. The point Is to make
the cocks so narrow and tall that the
nay VIII wilt without heating. for
II 1t heats in the cock and is then
moved It is apt to mould some. I have
never tried the putting of the hay in
direct from the mower. and would be
rather afraid to try IT, Some years
ago a farmer in North Carolina told
me that he was told that If the hay
was haled as fast as cut (pea vines)
that It would cure all right in the
bales He tried 1t. and OF course 1t
fotted Some farmers In North Caro-
lima now cure their pea vines by
setting stakee over tho field and
shocking the hay around them as fast
cut after the manner Of peanut
stacks. and claim that il cures all
right
But any method Of leaving the hay
outdoors to completely dry will result
In the loss OF the leaves Of the best
part OF the hay. like to get all
leeume hay we'll wilted in the cocks
and then store II before the leaves
get crisp. ] have done this many years
with both clover and peas and never
lost any but n little that one of tho
hands moved IN the loft while heating
If the heating hay is opened and
stirred YOU Will let in the germs OF
mould from the air and will have
some mould. But the final curing
should always be in the barn. and
never worry about some heating, for
1t Is certain to sweat some after stor-
Ing and that Is a curing process. Put
In perfectly green the heating may be
too violent and spontaneous combus-
ton may take place and burn the
barn.
bermuda Grass.
81 have read in the farm papers
crca: deal about the value of Ber-
muda grass. and want to know how
can prepare and SOW field OF IL the
coming fall for a permanent past ure?"
The writer of this is in the mountain
section, and my advice TO him is to
let Bermuda alone. Bermuda grass is
the most valuable summer pasture that
can be had in the sandy soils of the
South and lower tidtwater in Nir-
ginia. but |; is not in its best environ
ment In tho elevated mountain sec
tlons and the northern part OF Nir-
sinia. Bermuda is a lover Of heat and
sunshine. and will not thrive in shade
nor very we'll In sections where the
summer nights are cool. In your
section YOU can grow other grasses
= u,
rs | have heretofore said that on the
red hills OF the upper Piedmont. and
in the more elevated sections ~ the
state. n mixture OF orchard grass, red
top and Kentucky blue grass makes
the finest pasture after the blue grass
has gotten possession by the proper
tTcatmen, Of the pasture
Then again, the seed Of Bermuda is
hard 10 get. as It seldom seeds In this
country to any extent and all tho
seed sold here Is imported from India
and has very low terminating power
| Then the fall is not the time 10 SOW
Bermuda and the best way to get il is
TO plant the running stems In shallow
burrows In middle spring. and it will
soon cover the ground II is no,
weather grass and could not he sue
ccssfully planted I'm the fail. Down
on the love- Tidewatcr and south OF
James River there is no grass that
VIII make better summer pasture
ana mixed with the Texas blue grass
] have seen It make n good winter
pasture In South Carolina. as the Texas
grass makes no show in summer and
Is not In the way OF the Bermuda hut
comes on green In the fall and win
ter. JcNaS blue grass ia Poa aracni-
iera' and the seed are matted together
with sort OF spider web growth that
makes them hard to SOW But IL can
be planted in rows in the fan ana
Bermuda planted between IL in tho
spring and both will thrive together
johnson Grass.
IN North Carolina: Il have some
notion land liable to be overlooked.
and while IL is rich and makes good
corn II is liable TO be ruined by a food
( J want 10 put II In grass for hay. VIVA.
Is me pest grass" In your section
tnere is no grass that Will make moro
nay man Johnson grass, Sorghum f~,la.
/ Ptnse You can sow this In spring
ana can cut 1t three or four times dur
/ III 'he summer every year But if youle:
4 any OF IT seed YOU viii havo IL all over
'he heishborhood and your neighbors
may not want IT, For all the warmer sec.
/ tons from lower virginia south. thore
Is no sraes mat VIII equal johnson
grass In production OF hay. But the
Only objection to II IS lis aggressive
cHat1cteE Down In sections of Mis-
slSSlppi and Alabama 4