The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-06-22
BERMUDA GRASS
Valuable Pasture Crop In the South.
Planting AMI Control.

Bermuda grass, called in some local |
tiles wire grass is at the same time a |
valuable forage plant and a serious !
weed pest, depending upon where it is
growing 1t the DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. |
Hyde of the grass family. Bermuda
is perennial plant spreading rapid
ly by rootstocks, which SEND out tiny
shoots ia frequent intervals, thus
forming a close sod. The very quail
ties, therefore, that make Bermuda
such desirable forage plant also
make it formidable weed.
In the public mind the idea of a
weed is commonly associated with the
quality of "worthlessness" Yet some
very useful plants possess the charac-
teristics of weeds under certain condi-
tions, that is, when they are growing
in places where they are not wanted.
There is no doubt that Kentucky blue
grass is the most valuable pasture
grass in the North, but when it invades
fields of alfalfa it is very injurious to
that crop and is properly recognized
as the worst weed with which alfalfa
has to contend. Likewise, Bermuda
grass is the most valuable grass in the
South, but when it occurs in fields of
cotton or other cultivated crops it
is difficult to control. In Southern
California and in Arizona also it is
so injurious in alfalfa fields that it has
acquired there the name of devil-grass.
Notwithstanding the propensities of
both blue grass and Bermuda grass
to become troublesome as weeds, both
are plants of the highest value for pas
lures. Indeed their value for this pur-
pose far outweighs their bad qualities
as weeds.
| Bermuda Grass as a Forage Plant.
AS forage plant this grass is util-
lied largely for pasture purposes, al
though it is cut for hay to some ex-
tent. It is resistant to heat, drought,
and trampling by live stock, but is
quite susceptible to frosts. Hence this
grass finds it's chief field of useful
ness in the Southern states as far
north as Virginia and Kentucky. Pro-
pagation is largely by planting small
sections of the rootstocks. These Sec
tons or cuttings, about an inch long
are scattered broad cast and narrowed
in. Some farmers prefer to plant
cuttings in shallow burrows about 3
fleet apart, the plants being set about
lis inches apart in the burrows. A
corn marker or shovel cultivatOr
may be used for opening the burrows.
After the cuttings are dropped they
should be covered at once with soil.
The covering may be done either with
the foot or hoe. Bermuda is some
times planted with hairy vetch, lespe-
deza or other crops in permanent pas
lures, thus improving the quality OF
the pasturage. On Bermuda and vetch
pastures the live stock are kept off for
certain periods to permit the vetch
plants to mature their seeds and lat
er in the summer to allow the young
vetch plants to make good start.
Bermuda grass makes good hay
when cut sufficiently early. Its repu-
tation has suffered somewhat by ar
inferior quality of over-ripe hay thai
has been put on the market. Two
crops can ordinarily be cut each year
While the yields are small on pool
land, rich, moist soil will produce
several tons per acre a year. With boil
| pastures and meadows the sod shoult
be plowed once every few years OF
account of the tendency Of this grass t
become sod bound.
Bermuda is also the common law
e grass in the cotton states. A still fur
| Their use is for planting on steep Ian
: and in gullies to arrest soil erosion
: as we'll as on sand that has tendenc
o to drift
n Bermuda Grass as q Weed.
r To control Bermuda grass on farr
e land is a rather difficult matter Grow
s ing smother crops, such as cowpeas
8 soy beans, millet, and sorghum, ha
h been advocated This method is sue
e cessful only under very.favorable con
e ditions Where the soil is productiv
y enough to produce thick stand an
it vigorous growth of these crops, the