THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



535 



eprout ; and this process is continued in quick 

 eucceppion (o the. end of the season. JSoon Hlter 

 the s''veral plants po lo flower, '.he hIacU radicles 

 which ifjsne Irom them begin to (orm the nuts, 

 which remain in the cround as the parent sources 

 oCthe vegetation of the next season. The o!d tu- 

 bers die soon alier brinjiins out tlie new vegetation. 

 The object ol' the Coregoing treatment is to pre- 

 vent the nut from being Ibrmed, and the repre- 

 eentation I have made gives the rationale of it. 

 With respect, &c. F. 



Id reply to our esteemed correspondent " F." 

 we would inlbrm him, that it has been our misfor- 

 tune to form a very intimate acquaintance with 

 the common enemy of the southern planter — nut- 

 grass. We will also suggest what we think a 

 more successful, and certainly a tar more econo- 

 mical me'hod of exterminating it, than that pro- 

 posed in his communication. Our remedy is deep 

 winter ploughing, followed by the free use of the 

 harrow or cultivator, and the frequent and diligent 

 employment of the latter implement during the 

 growth of the subsequent summer crop. 



When we purchased our farm in the fall of 

 1839, we (bund one portion of it — about five acres 

 — so badly infested wiih nut-grass, that the stand- 

 ing crop yielded a miserable return for the labor 

 that had been expended upon it. One part of the 

 five acres was in sweet potatoes, and the indivi- 

 dual who cultivated the farm informed us, tha» he 

 had been utterly unable to keep down the nut and 

 joint grass, although he had hired additional force 

 during the summer, expressly for the purpose of 

 exterminating these common nuisances. 



Jn the month of December we had the whole 

 farm thoroughly and deeply ploughed by a large 

 plough, and a pair of strong horses. To do this, 

 we employed a laborer from the state of Maine, 

 who had been accustomed to puch work, and who 

 performed it most effectually, notwithstanding the 

 ground was very rough. 



The plough was followed by the harrow, first 

 in the direction— then across the furrow. By 

 these means a large proportion of the tubers of 

 the nut-grass were brought to the surface, where 

 they were exposed to the frost of winter. 



Early in March, about one half of the five 

 acres was manured broadcast, ploughed again, 

 seeded in oats, and thoroughly harrovved, so as to 

 effectually cover the grain. The oats grew w^ll, 

 but just before it had attained its full growth, it 

 was attacked by the army-worm— the larva of 

 a small night moth (of ihe genus noctua,) by 

 which it was cut down as effectually in a few 

 days, as it could have been done by the hand of 

 man. About the first of June this same piece of 

 ground was prepared for slips in the following 

 manner: Furrows were drawn four and a half 

 feet apart, with a large two horse plough in 

 which a good supply of manure was scattered, 

 after which, with iwo bouts, with the same im- 

 plerueiiis, (or Ibur furrows,) beds were formed 

 upon the manure, in which all the stubble and 

 sward were completely turned under. The hoes 

 followed, and by a slight touch, made the beds 

 smooth and even, after which the whole was 

 planted in slips, chiefly yams. The slips grew off 

 beautifully, and yielded beyond our most sanguine 

 expectations. But it should be slated, in re- 

 gard to the subsequent cultivation, as it may have 



an important bearing upon the nut-grass, that as 

 scon as the slips bad taken, ihe sides of the beds 

 were ploii<rhed down, by taking a slice from each, 

 with a niui^le mould-board plough, alter which the 

 dirt was thrown back by the same implement, 

 ihe work being completed by the hoes. The 

 same process was repeated once, except that at 

 Ihe second working, after cutting the slice from 

 Ihe beds, Ihe cultivator was passed twice in Ihe 

 middle, so as to pulverize the ground thoroughly, 

 and |iut it in condition to be hauled up readily by 

 the hoes. 



In the winter of 1840 this ground was again 

 ploughed, although left in fine condition after the 

 potato crop, and in the month of December and 

 January Ibllowing, was planted in dwarf marrow- 

 fat peas, which yielded a most abundant crop. 

 As soon as the peas were off, one part was put in 

 wa'er-melons — the remainder in corn — both of 

 which have succeeded well. 



We have already staled that only one half of 

 the ground was seeded in oats. The other half, 

 afler thorough ploughing and harrowing in the 

 spring, was put in melons, which, during the early 

 part of their growth, were repeatedly worked with 

 the |)lough and cultivator. After the melons 

 were off', this piece of ground furnished a most 

 abundant crop of hay — not nut-grass, — but luxu- 

 riant crab-gr^ss, which grew so rank as to be 

 mowed with considerable difficulty. It was then 

 cleared off, ploughed ihree times, harrowed as 

 often, and ridged lor turnips, — one half ruta-baga, 

 the other half red-top, snow-ball, and Pomerania. 

 In putling in this crop, the ridges were Jbrnied 

 twenty-eight inches apart, and the manure de- 

 posited in the interval. The ridges were then 

 reversed so as to cover the manure, and the tur- 

 nips drilled upon the top. The crop was kept 

 clean, and the ground well pulverized, by means 

 of a small plough, the cultivator, and the hoe. 

 There was probably never a better crop of turnips 

 raised near Charleston. 



The same ground has yielded, the present sea- 

 son, a good crop of melons; will be ready for mow- 

 ing in a fisw days ; and will then be prepared 

 again lor turnips. 



It may be stated, in general terms, that the 

 nut-grass has disappeared, its place being supplied 

 by a luxuriant growth of crow-foot (Eleusine 

 indica,') and crab-grass (digitaria sanguinalis.) 

 Some time after the first winter ploughing, the 

 dead, dry, and partially decayed tubers of the 

 nut-grass were seen thickly disseminated over 

 the whole surface of the soil, and as those which 

 were not brought to the surface by the first opera- 

 tion have been subsequently exposed by frequent 

 siirringand other acts of tillage, they have been 

 submitted to the same destructive processes, and 

 the ground formerly so much infested, although it 

 may here and there exhibit a few plants of nut- 

 grass, may be said to be as clear of this trouble- 

 some enemy of the farmer, as any land in the low 

 country. 



To all those who are troubled with nut-grass, 

 our correspondent amongst the rest, we would 

 recommend as the best means of exterminat- 

 ing it .■ — 



1st. Deep winter ploughing — not scratching 

 with a small single horse plough, with a lazy ne- 

 gro to guide it — but ploughing to the depth of at 

 leasteight inches — even twelve, or more if posei- 



