Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1914-06-11
BERMUDA THE BEST
SOUTHERN GRASS.
By j. n. Harper, Director s. G. Exper-
iment Station, Clemson College.

By j. n. Harper, Director s. c. Exper-
iment Station, Clemson College.
Bermuda grass is the most valua-
bic grass the South possesses and is
the best for pasturage and lawn pur-
poses. Its true value is not yet ap-
preciated by its most ardent advo-
Gates. There are several varieties or
types of this grass grown in the South
differing from each other mainly in
the size of stems and spiculets and in
hardness. Some of the smaller.
haruy types are from two to three
weeks earlier in making their growth
IN the early spring than are the
coarSer varieties. There are other
species OF grasses. such as wire grass
and Egyptian grass, often mistaken
u! farmers for Bermuda, and for this
reason Bermuda grass is sometimes
denounced as being worthless by
farmers who have growing on their
ia.his i;,.iis the other species which are OF
little value.
Bermuda grass. when grown ON
wen improved land and properly
treated. Will afford during six months
OF the year as much grass as the aver
age DIue grass pasture of Kentucky
L have known one acre to furnish ali
the food during the summer months
Tor SIX calves. Three acres OF this
grass on improved land Will pasture
Hlleeh brood sowS with their litters.
thcy requiring no other food than
that afforded by five acres OF forage
crops. When grown on rich bottom
iandS and kept free from weeds and
properly icrtiiZed, bermuda grass at
ioruS Il Splendid meadow, as it can bc
cut twice during the season Welding
from three to four tons OF excellent
nay Bermuda hay is rich in carbo-
hSurH'eS ana makes as Soood hay as
timothy. 1t is well suited for work
stock, but is not so good for dairy
cattle.
Fortunately, we have discovered
that bermuda grass is not a serious
weed enemy, for rs ii docs not mature
seed To any extent in this country and
spreads only by underground and
oNefSfound stems ii can be easily kept
IN chcCk. AS II IL Il tropical plant ana
requires plenty of sunlight 1t can be
easily cradicatcd in two or three wears
hy shading 1t out by growing winter
leBumcS, such as VctCh, planted with
oats, followed by Il summer lrgumc
Such as coWpcaS or velvet beans. IScr-
muda does not damage cotton any
thlnS like as much as does crab grass
ana Il good crop of corn can be made
IN the field badly infested with Bcr-
muda II properly cultivated. Bermuda
grass IS OF great benefit to the soil i'm
that IL prevents IT from washing adds
humus To the soil and ILLS the soil
with lnnumcrable ribrous roots which
produce the best form OF numus II
Is an annual with perennial. under
ground stems. If Bermuda is planted
In the laIl II can be grown with oats
ana Nctch, or with bur clover 1t is
Il splendid plant for terrace banks and
is also valuable to grow on railroad
an" pond banks To prevent them from
caNlnS IN and washing away.
AS II requires plenty OF sunlight. il
VIII not grow well in shaded places.
IL can be propagatcd by sowing the
seed at the rate OF two pounds to the
acre or by planting pieces of sod. A
good way TO obtain Il Bermuda sod is
10 break the land with u turning plow
or disk plow and in every furrow drop
Il small piece OF sod every twelve
inches, the next furroW covering il
from two TO three inches deep. 1t
can bc sodded almost any time dur
ing the year. but the best time is i'm
the early spring. 1t should be planted
after some winter legume, such us
our clover, crimson clover, or Vetch
If planted in the spring; and If
planted in the fall, should follow cow
peas, SoyDeanS, velvet beans or beg
SarWced. After the land has been
plowed and the plants dropped, the
l;ihu should be thoroughly narrowed
TO make the pasture smooth and even.
cattle should be turned into the
pasture as soon as possible. The best
bermuda pasture can be ruined by
dlloNInS weeds ana other grasses to
grow. Bur clover can be Sown in the
Iall IN Bermuda pasture. Bermuda
grass is usually ready for good pas
ture by June LIST After the pasture
has remained in Bermuda grass four
or llVe years, 1T should be ploWcd M
in the early spring and planted in
coWpcaS. The coWpeaS will improve
the physical condition of the soil and
VIII ada nitrogen, which is most bene-
Hclal TO the Bermuda. If a Bermuda
pasture Is allowed to run too long it
becomes sod-bound and poor quality
OF grass ls produced. 1t is Il heavy
feeder on nitrogen and should be fer
ullZed with an application of nitrate
OF soda about the middle of every
April. using from 80 to 100 pounds
per acre. Acid phosphate should be
applied every four years at the rate of
800 or 400 pounds per acre. \ good
time to apply this is at the time the
land is broken in the spring prcpara-
tory for Il crop of peas. one thousand
pounds of lime is also very beneficial.
This can be applied once every five or
SIX years. If Bermuda is planted with
Texas blue grass, white clover and
common Vetch pasture can be OBJ
tained that Will afford good grazing
nine or ten months in the year.