FARMERS' REGISTER— HORSES AND CATTLE. 



611 



other sources, that the seed are in very great de- 

 mand. Had I foreseen this last August, I could 

 have made more from this article, than I did from 

 my wlieat crop; for this grass grows most abun- 

 dantly on my plantation, and some others in this 

 neighborhood, and has been known here, from time 

 immemorial, under the nameof cor?r grass. Now, 

 sir, I have very little doubt, but that it may be 

 produced from the roots as successfully as from the 

 seed ; and with this advantage, that the roots can be 

 set out this spring, while the seed cannot be pro- 

 cured to any extent, until next fall. Would it 

 not be well then, to suggest to those who wish to 

 cultivate it, the propriety of trying an experiment 

 with the roots.' A wagon load of the roots, would 

 plant, I suppose, two or three acres of land : and I 

 would most cheerfully, yea thankfully, permit any 

 one to grub up a wagon load, and as many more 

 as he chose. Do not think however, from my 

 anxiety to get rid of it, that I am disposed to ridi- 

 cule the etforts which many are making to raise it. 

 I think it very probable the gania grass may prove 

 valuable to many persons, although it is not so to 

 me. My land is a stitF " pipe clay," particularly 

 adapted to the growth of grass, and I might, in 

 most years, make much more hay, than I have 

 time or force to take care of My meadow yields 

 an abundance for my own consumption, and as I 

 have no market for it, I of course, have no induce- 

 ment to pay more attention to raising grasses. 

 And my objections to the gama grass are, that it 

 is much inferior in quality to other grasses, that 

 grow here spontaneously ; that it prevents their 

 growth wherever it gets possession; that its roots 

 are so strong, and mat together in such bunches, 

 as to render it impossilile to break them with any 

 other implement than a grubbing hoe ; and that it 

 exhausts the soil. It forms a large proportion of 

 the hay that I cure annually, being mixed with 

 the other grasses through the meadow ; but my 

 horses, while they are very fond of other hay, in- 

 variably reject the blades of gama grass. But 

 this objection may not operate under a system of 

 management ditferent from mine. It is generally 

 late before I can commence n^wing, so that the 

 gama grass has reached its maturity and is very 

 coarse: could it be cut early in June, it would 

 probably make very good hay : and it certainly 

 yields a more abundant crop of blades than any 

 other grass, with which I am acquainted. In ad- 

 dition to this advantage, it seems to possess some 

 others, calculated to recommend it to the attention 

 of those whose land is not naturally productive in 

 grasses. It grows here in every soil and situation, 

 with the exception of marshy ground. Therp are 

 some places in my meadow, on which the water 

 stands two thirds of the year, and which are too 

 wet for herdsgrass, and there are some spots whicii 

 produce herdsgrass abundantly, although quite 

 moist, but the gama grass is never found in either 

 of these places; every where else it grows kindly; 

 over the drier parts of the meadow — on the rising 

 ground around the meadow — along the hedge 

 rows — in the corners of the fences — by the side of 

 foot paths — on the margin of branches — among 

 broom straw and hen's-nest grass — on clayey hill 

 sides, and in light soft bottoms, that have been 

 formed by depositions. It appears too, to be less 

 affected by drought than any other grass; but 

 this I ascribe to the thick, bunchy form in which 

 it grows; the upper blades skreening the lower 



ones fi-om the rays of the sun. I am induced, 

 however, (by the fact, that I have never seen it, 

 but in enclosed fields which are never grazed in 

 the spring or summer,) to doubt whether it will 

 bear frequent cutting or grazing; but I have no 

 hesitation in saying, that an acre of land well set 

 in gama grass, will, from one mowing, yield greatly 

 more, than the same ground would in any other 

 grass, that I am acquainted with. For these rea- 

 sons, I am anxious to see a full experiment made 

 with it, and sincerely hope it may prove valuable. 

 Although therefore, not inclined to keep it myself, 

 I am honestly desirous to assist any one who is 

 willing to try it. I will enclose you a few seed, 

 which I picked from some dead stalks, that you 

 may determine whether our corn ^rass, is really 

 the gama grass. 



With sincere respect, yours, &c. 



JOHN GRAMMER, JR. 



P. S. — Feb. 12th. I have been waiting for a 

 week for an opportunity to send the enclosed. In 

 the meantime, Mr. Wm. H. McFarland, has spent 

 two or three days with me. He had procured 

 from some friend, a few seeds of gama grass, and 

 has removed all doubt of its being the same thing 

 with our corn grass. In his walks, he gathered 

 from the dead stalks and collected about my hay 

 stacks, a quart of the seed ; which with some roots 

 he took up, will be sufficient for the experiment he 

 wishes to make. If you see him, he can give you 

 a more particular account of its appearance and 

 habits here, that I can by letter; and he will con- 

 firm my statement, that it is to be found in every 

 variety of soil and situation which my plantation 

 affords, except on marshy ground. He saw it 

 standing on galled ridges and in the bottoni of gul- 

 lies. 



Yours, &c, J. G. jr. 



IMPORTATION OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Sir, — As many instances are occurring of blood- 

 ed horses being imported from Great Britain ; and 

 much difficulty having been experienced, and 

 heavy expenses incurred in their transportation,! 

 would beg to address you on the subject of a plan, 

 that will, perhaps, obviate the difficulties that have 

 been experienced. 



These difficulties have principally arisen from 

 the want of a proper selection of place and time 

 for embarkation ; more especially from the want 

 of taking advantage of the southern, or trade wind 

 passage in the fall and winter season. Thus, have 

 I recently known two horses, purchased out of one 

 of the most celebrated studs in Great Britain, ac- 

 tually put on board a merchant ship, and hoisted 

 into her long boat. And what was the conse- 

 quence.' This vessel took the northern route, and 

 after a stormy passage of sixty-eight days, arrived 

 in the United States with but one of these valua- 

 ble animals. The other died on the passage. Its 

 companion, having as many lives as a cat, as much 

 strength as Hercules, and as good an appetite as 

 any alderman, was safely landed, and will, I hope, 

 long live to benefit her owner, and add to the value 

 of the horse stock of the United States. 



The more immediate object of this address, is to 

 request that the editor of the N. E. Farmer, and 

 any other agricultural paper, will take proper no- 

 tice of this subject, with a view to ascertain whe- 



