The Pulaskian., 1916-02-04
FORAGE CROPS FOR ARKANSAS
No. 4. Grasses For Pasture and Hay
By Earl Fitzpatrick, Extension Agrono
 my, University of Arkansas.


 my, University of Arkansas.
 Grasses are vital factor In sue cessful and permanent agriculture. The washing and teaching, which is impoverishing the soils of thousands of farms would be largely stopped if the cotton, corn, and other clean cul- dvated crops were exchanged for grasses. The roots of this class of plants hold the soil, i'll it up with nti- mus and have renovating effect upon 1t in general The perennial pas, lures and meadows furnish a source of cheap feed because breaking and seeding is not done every year. Land that cannot be cultivated economical- ly because of the rocks, stumps, and rough nature, will usually pay hand some profit if put into pasture.
 Grasses may be divided into two classes; perennial or those which live for three or more years such as Der muda, orchard grass, red top, and Kentucky blue grass; and annuals or those which live for only one year as Sudan grass. Bermuda grows only during the warm season, while or chard grass, Kentucky blue grass and some others stay green large portion of the winter Red top is especially adapted to wet soils, while Bermuda grows on drier soil, so that one can select suitable grasses for almost every soil and condition.
 Tn y,,o1ripo no cf,,ra oud y,,aa doxrr ,.ao- concentrations Arkansas must be di. l vided into at least three different sec l tions, according to soils and climate as follows: First, North and North east Arkansas; second bottom soils of East and South Arkansas; third, up land and sandy soils of East and South Arkansas. In the north and northwest section orchard grass is the surest grass and should generally be the basis of a permanent pasture or meadow. Orchard grass is superior to timothy because it is adapted to a l larger variety of soils, is not so hard on soil, furnishes superior pasture and more nutritious hay, and rip. ems at the same time as red clover. For pasture, along with the orchard grass, Kentucky blue grass should be seeded on soils that are rich in lime, and red top on soils that are short in lime. Red and white clover should also be put into the mixture. For meadow orchard grass and red clover make good mixture. On the bottom soils of the south and south east portions of the state, Bermuda should usually be made the basis of l a permanent pasture or meadow The disadvantage of Bermuda not being green for pasture during winter can be remedied by putting bur clover on the sod or by having a second pasture.
 The following characteristics and adaptations should be noted m regard to the grasses. Orchard grass and l Kentucky grass grow extra well in | the shade, while Bermuda will bt killed out with excessive shade. Ken lucky blue grass does we'll only on the lime soils in the cooler part of the state; III other sections the hot, dry weather of summer kills it. Or chard grass is not likely to be suc- cessful on a sandy soil, but it is es- f f P6eeiiallly P6eilly adapted to the clay hills. Some other grass or clover should al- cause of it's habit of growing in dense clumps instead of making a sod es l pecially if a thin stand is secured. Tall meadow oat, fescue, English blue, and other grasses have promises of being valuable under certain con- ditions. In all sections of the state, on soils that are medium to fertile. and that are well drained.
 It should be accepted as a funda- mental principle that successful agri- culture in Arkansas must be based on | the growing or more livestock on every farm and that success with 1 livestock will depend very much on permanent pastures. Therefore 1 great campaign should be undertaken l this year for more clovers and ten thousand farmers who now have 1 no permanent pastures should be pledged to start this spring at leas. | three to five acres of permanent pas ture and to seed clovers and grasses 1 on every waste spot on the farm. Thousands and thousands of acres of hillsides and rough land in northern and western Arkansas should DC seeded to orchard grass, Lespedeza, white clover, sweet clover and blue grass or Bermuda, and thousands of l acres of cut-over lands in southern l Arkansas should be seeded to Lespe- 1 deza, bur clover and Bermuda.