The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-24
BERMUDA GRASS.
Farmers Should Use This Valuable Per.
ennial for Pasture.

Hay and forage are as essential to the
maintenance of an adequate feed supply
in this crisis as the production of the
staple food crops themselves. In the
southeastern states Bermuda grass is
the most valuable perennial grass we
have. II makes excellent pasture and as
hay its feeding value is the equal of
timothy, although its market price is
usually less.
Despite its obvious advantages, in the
past many farmers have hesitated to
plant Bermuda grass for fear that they
would not be able to get rid of it when
they wished to use the land for other
purposes. In a new publication of the
United States department of agriculture
however, farmers bulletin sl4, it is
pointed out that eradication need not
be troublesome matter. Bermuda grass
will survive many unfavorable condi-
tions, but it will not live when shaded.
An inexpensive method of esasication,
therefore, is to pillow a field of it in
September and plant with oats, rye, bar
ley, or some other winter crop When
this crop is harvested, the field should
be disked or pIowed at once and planted
with cowpeas or velvet beans. When
this second crop is removed there will
be little grass left. In this way two
profitable crops are obtained in the year
and the ground left in good condition for
corn or cotton.
Where the winters are sufficiently Sc
we're, the so-called roots may be frozen
after being exposed to the air by shall
low blowing, leaving the burrows on
edge as much as possible.
The grass is propsgated by seeds, |
roots, or cuttings. Domestic seed from
the west is superior to the imported and
can usually be obtained at reasonable
price. Roots and cuttings, however, are
used more commonly. Detailed instruc-
tons for planting these are given in the
bulletin already mentioned. The cost, il
is said, need not be more than SIS an
acre for the labor, and the grass will
cover the ground in few weeks. There
after the meadow or pasture need not be
disturbed as long as it gives a satisfac-
tory yield. In the case of meadow, how
ever, since they are intended to be per-
manent, 1t pays to level off all bumps
and fill up hollows. As much prepare
ton is required to make good meadow
rs to make good crop of corn.
Bermuda grass does not mix well with
,ther grass, but there are certain leg
lines which add greatly to its pasture
'alue. Among the best of these are les
,edeza, bur clover, black medic, and Me-
lotus. Each of these has its advsn-
ages, but a safe rule is to plan les
'edeza and at least one of the Others
n every Bermuda grass pasture. Me-
lotus is particularly useful in improv-
ng the condition and productivity of
hin, barren soils which are at the same
ime rich in lime.
Bermuda grass itself will grow well on 9
lmost any soil that is fertile and not I
90 wet. It does better, however, on 5
oils that are heavy. 1t can Withstand 1
kali, but needs humus and nitrogen. v
Warm weather during the growing is {
~ hR~IooaA anu AAt WAskFA mus nv I
e too cold. Southeastern Virginia is {
pproximately the northern limit Of its :
growth on the Atlantic coast.
Probably the most profitable use for
ermuda grass is as pasture. As has been
lid, the feeding value of the hay is APP
rOximstely that of timothy, but in
any localities the grass does not grow
gh enough to pay for the cutting
hen on the market, the price depends
some extent upon the bright color and
ie attrsctiveness Of the bale.
In pasture, il is estimated that one
eer TO the acre during the growing sea-
n is a fair average, but two acres per
eer may be required. On the other
md. in specially favorable localities.
e acre may carry three or four steers
re or ten months.