Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-13
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR. ANDREW NJ. SOULE

quently is the only plant that will
succeed in a pasture. With plenty
oS moisture it grows we'll on the
sandy uplands of south Georgia, but
is seriously affected by drought; in
extreme cases dying before seed are
produced. On the moist fertile soils
of every part of the state it grows
exceptionally well. Hundreds OF
acres in South Georgia bordering
streams or swamps are well adapted
to Lespedeza but will rot produce
field crops to advantage. In addi-
ton to succeeding on varied soil
types, LespedeZa adapts itself to
growing with other plants. 1t will
succeed in Bermuda or Carpet grass
sod and between punches of Dallis
grass or even in wiregraSS and
broomsedge, if the last two do not
completely shade the ground. For
the best growth, however, it needs
full exposure to sunshine. Lespe-
deza cannot be grazed until late
spring but it grows well during the
summer and remains green until
late fall. It's growth is palatable to
all animals that have become used to
it, ranking next to Kentucky blue
grass in this respect. 1t is also
nutritious but will cause horses and
mules to "slobber."
Lespedeza should be seeded dur
ing the spring, about the time cot
ton is planted. 1t can be soWn on
land in oats, or on prepared land, or
even broadcast on unEroken land. II
the last method is used seeding
should be done one or two weeks
earlier. Ten pounds of seed per acre
is considered enough for a pasture,
although in areas well adapted TWEEN
ty-five pounds per acre have been
used with good results. Less than
ten pounds per acre could be used If
light grazing is practiced to allow
the plants to seed heavily and thus
increase the stand for the following
years. When once established, Les
pedeza will remain always, reseedine
itself from year to year, except I'M
der the most adverse conditions
Where LeSpedeZa has never grown
before it is well to inoculate the seed
before sowing.
Bermuda ranks second in grazing
Importance in the state. 1t is a con-
stituent of at least 80 per cent of the
permanent partures of middle Geor-
gia. For the clay hills and well
drained bottoms of that region, ii
can scarcely be excelled in quantity
of feed produced. In the mountain
counties sand in nearly all of south
Georgia it is not so successful. The
cold winters in the one case and the
sandy topSoil in the other are not
conducive to the best growth of this
grass. There are, however quite q
few good fields of it in south Geor-
gia where the clay is near the sur.
face, or where the topsoil is very
fertile. =. In that section, however, il
is not very dependable grass.
Bermuda grass is started from
seed or from cuttings. Until recent.
ly cuttings were used exclusively
but now it is possible to get fair re-
suits from seed. If cuttings are
used they should be secured just be-
fore growth starts in the spring. A
good method Is to turn an old SOC
shallow and cut the SLICES" of grass
roots and soil into pieces about two
inches across. A heavy hoe or 6
| spade can be used in the work These
pieces of sod can be broadcast over
| plowed land and covered by a. dis,
harrow or dropped in rows and GOV
| cred, or dropped in every third OF
| fourth furrow as the land is beins
plowed. If a sod is desired quickly
| the cuttings should be placed neal
each other but If not they should bt
| placed at intervals of three to fou,
! feet. When seed are used, a fine ant
| firm seeded is necessary. Five
pounds of seed per acre is the usua
amount advocated. They should be
sown during the early spring wher
plenty of moisture is present ant
covered lightly with a spike tooth
harrow or weeder. Crab grass and
weeds should be kept down by graz.
ing or moving, because Bermuda
grass seed are slow in germinatine
and the young plants easily killed bv
shading.
Bermuda grass needs to be grazed
closely for best results because the
stems are tough and unpalatable
when allowed to grow up. Very few
pastures in Georgia suffer from a
'ack OF grazing; on the other hand
lutte few are grazed too heavily
Nhere Bermuda grass is not well
tdapted 1T must be grazed more care
u-ly than wherN it is well ADAPTED
Ntter several years most Bermuda
fields become "sod bound" and re-
= lure blowing. This blowing should
De done in the early spring Just be-
lore growth starts, unless a crop of
small grain is to begrown, in which
case, fall blowing is necessary. In
ploW1ng it is best not to invert the
sod more than absolutely necessary
narrowing and rolling should follow
blowing.
Bermuda grass pastures are priced
Tor horses, mules and hogs. For
hog grazing they can scarcely he
equaled in the amount of nutritious
Iced produced and in the rapid re-
coTery from being rooted.
destroying the Peach Rorer'
q. +. NJ, Finleyson, Ga, writes;
nave some peach trees that have been
out three wears I dug nround L.