Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-10-03
CREEPING GRASS
,C0OD PASTURAGE
Petit Gazen Is Prolific in Coastal
Plain Belt From Virginia
to Texas. i
pROsPERs ON SANDY LOAN
Continues Growing Throughout Most
of Year, Bcins Damaged Only Dur
ing Periods of Severe Drought
or Heavy Frost.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)

| prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture.)
Petit Gazen-the Creole name for
carpet grass-is perennial, creeping
grass, prolific in the coastal plain belt.
from southern Virginia to Texas. 1t
forms a dense, close turf. Carpet
grass, native to the West Indies, pros
pers particularly well on sandy loam
soil where the moisture is near to the
surface most of the year. The grass
is OF dual utility, as it will yield
seed crop even during the period when
it is grazed to capacity. This is ex-
planned by the fact that the live stock
feed principally on the basal leaves,
while the slender flower stems are al
lowed to mature unmolested.
In the section where carpet grass
predominates it excels all other peren-
nial grasses as permanent pasture
It continues growing throughout most
of the year, being damaged only during
periods of severe drought or Of heavy
frost. In order to maintain the pas
lures in good condition heavy grazing
is necessary, and alternate grazing OF
two fields is preferable to continuous
grazing of single field. Under
favorable conditions carpet grass
will support one head Of live
stock to two acres, being about
equal in carrying capacity to
blue grass,
s. Heat and Moisture Needed.
For maximum development carpet
grass requires abundant heat and
moisture, and where these conditions
are satisfied 1t furnishes valuable pas
turage from May until November, or
in the extreme South even longer.
During cold weather it makes little
growth Where field Of carpet grass
is allowed to grow tall in the fall cat
tie will Craze with great relish on the
dead tops during the winter.
Althoughat present commercial seed
in quantity Is seldom obtainable, car
pet grass may be sown If necessary
by moving the grass after the seed
has matllrGd and scattering the straw
with The seed over the field where it
is desired to sow the grass. If condi-
:tionS are favorable to carpet grass 1t
is sure to ospossess the land, provided
the grazing Is heavy enough to keep
down the weeds and taller grasses.
- 80: ii. s:or Use on Lawns.
For use on lawns carpet grass may
be snroraeated by sets or pieces OF SOD.
To obtainSa good sod the land should
be well prepared to depth Of g to
inches and generously fertilized with
20 or more tons to the acre Of we'll
rotted stable manure. Where neces-
Sary, from 500 to 1000 pounds per acre
of high-gra(e supplementary fertilizer
may also be applied. The carpet grass
.Dlalits should be set about II inches
apart each way. In planting small
lawns it is usually best to put out the
sets with the trowel or some other
hand tool, while on large lawns it is
more economical to plow the land and
drop tic sets or pieces Of sod the prop
or distance apart in the burrows. The
land should be rolled after setting carr
pct grass in order to press the loose
soil close around the plants.