The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-09-01
BERMUDA GRASS.
valuable Pasture Crop i'm the South
Regarded as IL Weed Under Certain
COnditiOns--Planting and Control.

calities wire grass is at the same
time Il valuable forage plant and a Sc
rious pest, depending upon where it
Is growing. 1t is the DR.. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde of the grass family Ber-
muda is a perennial plant sprea ding
rapidly by rootstOcks. which send out
SHOOTS at frequent intervals, thus
forming close sod. The very quali-
ties, therefore, that make Bermuda
such desirable forage plant also
bake it a 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 con-
ditions, that is, when they are grow
ing in places where they are not
wanted. There is no doubt that Ken
lucky blue grass is the most valuable
pasture grass in the North, but when
injurious To that crop and is properly
recognized as the worst weed with
which alfalfa has to contend. Like
wise, Bermuda grass is the most VAL
liable pasture grass in the South, but
when 1T occurs in fields of cotton or
other cultivated crops it is difficult to
control. In southern California and
In Arizona also it is 80 injurious in
alfalfa fields that it has acquired there
the name OF devil-grass. Notwith-
standing the propensities Of both blue
grass and Bermuda grass to be-
become troublesome as weeds. both
are plants of the highest value for
pastures. Indeed their value for this
purpose far outweighs their bad quail
tiles as weeds.
AS forage plant this grass is utiliz-
ed largely for pasture purposes, al
though it is cut for hay to some eX-
tent. 1t 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 use
fulNess in the Southern States as far
north as Virginia and Kentucky, Pro-
pagation is largely by planting small
sections of the rOotstocks. These sec
tions or cuttings, about an inch long,
are scattered broadcast and narrowed
In. Come farmers prefer to plant
cuttings in shallow burrows about 3
feet apart, the plants being set about
! is inches apart in thc burrows. \
may be used for opening the burrows
After tho cuttings are dropped they
I should bc 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 later in the summer to allow the
young vetch plants to make a start.
Bermuda grass makes good hay
when cut sufficiently early. It's repu-
tation has suffered somewhat by an
inferior quality of over-ripe hay that
has been put on the market. Two
crops can ordinarily be cut each year.
While the yields are small on poor
several tons per acre year. With
both pastures and meadows the sod
should be plowed once every few
years on account of the tendency Of
this grass to become sod bound.
Bermuda is also the common lawn
grass in the cotton States. still
further use is for planting on steep
land and in gullies to arrest soil ero-
sion, as we'll as on sand that has q
tendency to drift.
To control Bermuda grass on farm
land is rather difficult matter. Grow
ing smother crops, such as cowpeas,
soy beans, millet, and sorghum, has
been advocated. This methods is
successful only under very favorable
conditions. Where the soil is produc-
tive enough to produce a thick stand
and vigorous growth of these crops,
they may be depended upon practi-
cally to rid field of the grass in
several years time. Most farmers,
however. will have to rely upon clean
cultivation. This method may be
followed either with or without a
cultivated crop growing on the land.
The best plan usually is to put the
land to grass for year or more,
either as pasture or meadow. When