Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-03-27
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
~ DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

the surface. 1t will not endure shade
so cannot compete we'll with thick
broomsedge or Wiregrass. 1t Will
drive out Bermuda on land to which
it is well adapted and in some in
stances LeSpedeza and Dallis grass.
When once started it spreads by
means of runners and seed. 1t quick
ly covers moist areas, but scatters
over the hills more slowly.
Very little seeding of carpet grass
has been attempted in Georgia, but
excellent results have been secured
over the limited area on which 1T
was tried. This would be expected
because of the success of natural
seeding in spreading the grass. Five
to ten pounds of seed per acre are
sufficient for a good stand in a sea-
son. One to two pounds per acre on
the damper areas will give q COM
plete sod in two or three years. Seed
ing should be done in the early
spring Seed can be secured from
seedsmen or may be saved at home
if a good sod is available. The most
practical method of utilizing home
grown seed is to cut the grass IN
late summer when a large number
of seed heads are mature and scatter
the hay over the area to be seeded.
When a part of the pasture is well
sodded the grass will spread IN
few years over the remainder.
Carpet grass can be grazed from
spring until winter. It's growth re-
mains palatable and tender through
ont the season but is not regarded
as nutritious as an equal amount Oh
Bermuda grass. This deficiency is
offset, however, by a larger yleld.
Carpet grass is excellent for horses,
cattle and sheep, but is not entirely
satisfactory for hogs unless some
nlea sure is taken to prevent their
roofing it. When completely uproot~
ed or covered with soil, the plants
die, leaving bare places. Two or
three seasons are needed for the
surviving grass to form a complete
sod again.
Dallis grass is now. found in ali
parts of Georgia, occurring largely
in the low and moist places as ROAD
bitches and bottom pastures, or III
the fertile upland spots as old yards
and vacant lots. It's, spread has been
due largely to the scattering of seed
through hay. 1t is very common IN
north Georgia and not SO common in
couth Georgia, but IS icing seeded
there on a larger scale than In any
other part of the state.
Dallis grass normally grows In
J. lunches, having a large number OF
basal leaves and few seed stems
from one to five feet in height. When
closely grazed, however the seed
stems will be much shorter and the
leaves will spread out and exent-
fertile
lend. Dallis grass appears in early
spring, being ready to Craze two or
three weeks Bermuda grass. If kept
grazed it will continue to grow
throughout the summer and fall but
if allowed to go untouched it will
mature a heavy crop of seed and dis
anDear for the remainder of the sea-
son.
Dallis grass will endure more eX-
| tremes of drought and water, heat
! and cold than any other southern
! grass. 1t needs fertile soils, how
| ever, as it's growth on poor land is
| very limited.
| The worst fault of Dallis grass is
| it's seed. These are attacked by a
| fungus during their development
! and in this condition cause a dis
ease among cattle if eaten in guam
| tity. Close grazing obViates this
trouble by greatly reducing the
amount Of seed produced. Dall1s
| grass seed also terminate very slow
| 1y making q good stand difficult to
| secure. A number of failures are re-
| ported from the use of seed. Re
Gently a method has been discover
| ed by which better results are Sc
| cured. This is seeding in small
| burrows. The burrows are laid off
| from three to seven feet apart with
| small pillow as a short two-fnch
! ripper, and the seed scattered in
them and left uncovered. In a few
years the grass will spread over the
| spaces between the burrows if light
| grazing is practiced. Where the
seed are broadcast a firm seed bed
is necessary. Very little or no COW
ering is needed Spring seeding is
favored by the majority but later
seedlings are quite successful From
one to five pounds of sed per acre
are used in the "furrow'' method
and double that quantity in broad
| casting. A longer time is needed for
| Dallis grass to spread than for
| Carpet grass or Lespedeza.
| In north Georgia, White Glover Is
found in the majority of old pas
! lures on bottom lands, but in south
| Georgia 1T is not we'll established.
| For early spring grazing and for
| late fall grazing It is the most de-