BERMUDA GRASS. 119 



inuda grass again, are careful not to carry the extermin- 

 ating process too far before this is attempted. The 

 roots remaining in the soil will again produce Bermuda 

 pastures if properly protected. There is the objection 

 to this plan, however, that it does not admit of what may 

 be termed clean cultivation. 



Because of the increased crops that have been ob- 

 tained after breaking up lands on which Bermuda has 

 grown for several years, some have concluded that it is 

 a soil enricher. This, however, is not correct in the 

 sense intended. If pastured or mown for successive 

 years, the land meanwhile receiving no dressing of ferti- 

 lizer, in any form, as with timothy in the north, the fer- 

 tility content would be lessened in its entirety. The 

 better crops which follow this grass are due, therefore, 

 to the much humus put into the soil by the grass, in 

 other words, to the mechanical and chemical influence 

 which it exerts on the soil in its decay, and to the fer- 

 tility which is thus made more readily available. 



Preparing the Soil. When land is to be laid down 

 to Bermuda grass, the cleaner and richer it is, and the 

 better its mechanical condition, the sooner will a stand 

 of the grass be secured, and the greater will be the re- 

 turns from it. When planting it on cultivated land, 

 therefore, any attention that is judiciously given to the 

 cleaning of the land will be time well spent. The con- 

 ditions for planting after a well cared for corn, cotton or 

 tobacco crop, are very suitable. 



For spring planting the preparation that is given to 

 making the land ready for a corn crop is deemed suita- 



