ERADICATING BERMUDA GRASS 



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white clover can make a winter growth, as in the Guli 

 States, do it in the fall. This fertilization may be of 

 any enriching material. Acid phosphate will stimulate 

 the clover; bonemeal is perhaps better, or one may use 

 a complete fertilizer. The object is to make the white 

 clover grow as vigorously during the cool part of the 

 year as it can. While it is growing it is filling the land 

 with nitrogen which later on the Bermuda grass will 

 use. Do not graze the clover down close if you wish 

 to get the most good from it. Unquestionably it would 

 add tremendously to the wealth of the South to put Ber- 

 muda grass over a great proportion of the plowed land 

 there. It stops erosion and builds soil. There has long 

 been in the minds of southern men a deadly fear of Ber- 

 muda grass fear that it could not be eradicated when 

 they wished to farm the land. 



Eradicating Bermuda Grass. There is no great diffi- 

 culty in destroying Bermuda grass on most soils. Assur- 

 edly one needs to know its nature and go at it intelli- 

 gently. It is best to combat it with shade. The land 

 may be plowed in the fall and sown to wheat or oats. 

 In order to have a rank growth of either of these grains, 

 fertilize the land well. Harvest the crop, preferably for 

 hay, before the Bermuda makes much growth in the 

 spring, and at once plow thoroughly again. Here the 

 worn, half-starved mule of the negro tenant farmer must 

 be replaced by the well-fed span of the modern intelligent 

 farmer. It requires motive power to do things right. 

 Sow the land to cowpeas or velvet beans, choosing a 

 very prolific variety that makes much vine. The peas 



