Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-24
Grasses Adapted to North Geor-
gia Conditions

~ L., DdlIOl, Ga, writes: L
have some land that I want to
put in meadow. Have about ten
acres of upland that was sown
In rye last fall and has been
turned under and planted in
cowpears. I want to put that
in clover and grass. What va
r1eties would you recommend
and when should they be sown?
1t is not clear from your letter
whether you wish to establish a pas
ture or hay meadow. Presuming
that you wish to establish a grazing
area on the lowland, I suggest that
you try mixture made UP of from
tive to ten pounds Of lespedeza,
three pounds of dallis grass, two
pounds of white clover and four
pounds Of red top. The lespedeza
and dallis grass should be sown
IN the spring after the weather has
warmed up. The white clover and
red top should be mixed and sown
IN the early autumn. 1t is desir-
aple' OF course, that there be enough
moisture in the ground to insure
the quick termination of the seed.
EARLY planting is to be preferred to
late planting, but seeding can prob
ably be done in your section
or Georgia as late as November Is.
Dallls grass seed are difficult to
terminate because they are fire..
quently attacked by a fungus. The
best results will pobably be oh.
tanned by planting in shallow fur.
rows, several feet apart. Lespedeza
may be Sown in the spring after the
weather has settled. It is valuable
as a summer grazing crop, and
should be included in all pasture
mixtures used in north Georgia. For
hllls1des in north Georgia, Bermuda
cuttings, scattered out in rows sew.
eral feet apart and completely GOV.
cred into the sod, will give best
results. In addition, 1espedeza should
be soWn on the land in the spring
The next best results can be oh.
tanned from a mixture of red ton
and orchard grasses. These NAV
be used on upland soils to some ad.
vantage. The lespedeza should be
seeded in the spring. The Bermuda
cuttings may be put out now. or at
any time after all danger from hard
winter freezes has passed. If Won
use red top and orchard grasses.
they should be soWn this fall. Some
tlmes tall oat grass can be used
10 advantage on fertile uplands, but
1t does not do so well under Geor.
sla conditions as either orchard
grass or red top. Red ton should
he soWn in a mixture at the rate of
ABOUT three pounds per acre, orchard
grass at the rate of six to eight
pounds per acre and tall oat grass
at the rate of eight to eleven pounds
per acre. Rather heavy seeding is
required under our climatic condi-
tionS.
a mixture in which tall cat grass.
red top and orchard grass predomi-
nate can be cut for hay with con-
siderable success should this prac-
tlce prove desirable. Otherwise.
they should be grazed rather close.
ly so as to keep the crop closely
cropped down. know of no one
clover which we can recommend
above another for the purpose in.
dictated. Probably alsike will an.
sWer as we'll as any of the common.
er strains. I am inclined to think
mat II l were situated like yoJr-
sell, l would put the upland about
which you write into alfalfa. IT
Will make you the most profitable
and permanent grazing or hay pro
ouclng area you can develop in your
section of the state.