The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-30
WITH THE FARMERS
BY Prof. w. F. MASSEY

prove bermuda sod go over II both
ways with disk harrow, and then
give 1t topdressing of seventy fiv o
pounds of nitrate OF soda an acre and
roll tho land tight again. In bare
spots plant some more cuttings Seeds
men get the seed of the so-callcd Ber-
muda onions from the Island of Tene-
rife. one of the Canary Islands Sets
arc never used. You can get need of
tho Bermuda onion from any of the
leading scedsmen IL you order early.
for the Texas growers are apt to take
up all on the market, and the supply Is
always limited. TIE seed are not pro-
duced anywhere but in Tenerinc, and
The Bermuda growers get their seed
there.
Renewing q Sod.
Il have had some of my hills under
the hoof continuously for twelve, sew
enteen and thirty-eight years? Not un-
til recent years did broomsedge gain
much Roadway on the Oldest sod. but
now all, newer as well as older, Is more
or less overrun with broomsedge, the
refuge OF which has for years been
mown off about tho last OF August and
the heaviest places rakcd for bedding
or hauled to poor spots in the pasture.
The broomsedge has had q tug Of war
with the native bluegrass and Les
pedeza. much of the land being per-
feet carpet Of sod; some OF 1t carrying
4
acre from the middle OF May to frost
In October. have been 10th to plow
IL up, even to reseed, being SO steep and
mostly sandy though some tough red
clay. l notice that the sedge grass
prefers the sandy soil and grows best
on the more fertile. How does this
plan strike you? Plow we'll now: let
lie rough until middle of February, and
then broadcast 500 to 500 pounds of
Thomas phosphate and seventy-hvc to
100 pounds OF muriate of potash an
acre and SOW to oats. After oats are
cut, SOW TO cowpeas. Make hay OF the
peas and prepare the land we'll for
wheat and grass and clover, fertilizins
literally? or had l better use Data
NJ the nurse crop and NOW them for
hay. What mixture of grasses would
you advise and what fertilizers? Would
you advice limingT
II the sod Is still good I do not
think that would break II at all.
II the blue grass Is given good
chance it Will run out the broomsedge
which has come in because OF acidity
in the soil and the spreading OF the
seed by using 1t ripe as bedding.
Right in O hundred yards of where I
write this is q field which four years
ago was covered all over with broom
sedge. 1t was busted over with lime
dust. Dulverized oyster shells, and the
blue grass began 10 creep in from an
adjoining grass lot, and as the blue
grass advanced the broomsedge re-
treated. and now the whole area is
soddcd over with blue grass as dense
as any in Kentucky. and the broom
scdge is gone. J believe that IL you
VIII spread the 500 pounds OF Thomas
phosphate an acre right on the sod
ana In the spring encourage the grass
stu more by about soventy-fve pounds
OF nitrate of soda an acre. the grass
VIII drive nut the broomsedge grass
Up In Northern Maryland there Is a
section OF steep hills which have been
kept IN grass for seventy-nye years
or more. and mako better grass to-day
IMAM ever. But the land has been
topdressed with honemeal every year.
and occasionally lime is brushed in.
and the blue grass Is so dense that
the cattle cannot keep it down. and
1t Is matted deeply over the ground
ton OF hay an acre II II could be
Strengthened up Broomsedge comes
in because the land has been neglected
ana gotten acid The Thomas phos-
phate applied heavily will carry a
good deal OF lime and will make the
conditions better to the more desirable
grass. But IL you break the sod this
winter / would at the same time sub
SOIL 1t deeply. and would harrow In
ABOUT 1000 pounds OF slaked lime
an acre Then in February 7 would
narrow In the phosphate and potash
You propose, and would seed to oats.
and with oats, seed down again to
grass. sowing ten pounds of Orchard
grass, Ten pounds of Red Top and ten
pounds OF blue grass seed an acre.
Then, getting good stand. ] would
topdress II annually with bone or the
THOMAS phosphate, and keep the soil
IN condition for the best grass and
keep the broomsedge out. You have
been running that sod as pasture
ior many years. and I suppose. have
never lined nor fortified II, and the
broomsedEe is the consequence.