12 



Cultivation of the Grasses and 



CRIMSON CLOVER. 



This is an annual, and is liable to the same 

 objections with all other annuals. It may be 

 sowed with wheat in the fall, and after the 

 wheat is cut, will yield a fair crop of hay, or 

 give good pasture the same season. But in 

 the experience of the writer, it has been found 

 to be inferior to the common red clover. 



ALSIKE CLOVER. 



This is a perennial plant, spreading, like 

 white clover, from the roots. It appears to 

 be an intermediate between red and white 

 clover. It grows taller than the latter, but 

 not so tall as the former. A prima facia con- 

 sideration against it is that it is a native of 

 Sweden, and could hardly be expected to 

 thrive in a hot climate. Some persons at the 

 South have spoken well of it. The trials 

 of it by the writer have not been satisfactory. 



WHITE CLOVER. 



This is a very valuable plant at the South. 

 On rich land it will grow tall enough to be 

 cut by itself, which is not the case at the 

 North or in England. Mixed with timothy 

 and herds-grass, it greatly increases the bulk 

 and value of the hay, giving a cutting close to 

 the ground. 



It affords excellent pasture in the spring 

 for hogs, sheep, and cattle, and also for horses, 

 until the blossoms fall, when it salivates them. 

 This is also true of the second crop of red 

 clover. 



White clover is much valued in England on 

 account of its manurial properties. After it is 

 once firmly set in the soil, whenever it is at 

 rest, the white clover springs up. When a 

 worn soil has become natural to white clover, 

 the process of resuscitation is rapid. An ap- 

 plication of ashes will often cause white clover 

 to spring up where it has not been known be- 

 fore. If mixed with red clover two quarts of 

 seed is sufficient, as it spreads both from the 

 seed and root. 



MILLET. 



Eight varieties of millet exist in this coun" 

 try and have been cultivated. It is used for 

 soiling purposes, for hay, and for its seed. 

 Upward of fifty bushels of seed have been 

 raised to the acre on rich land. The hay 

 made from millet is of good quality and large 

 quantity. For forage purposes, in the opinion 

 of the writer, it is not superior to oats, and is 

 inferior to the winter vetch. It is objection- 

 able as being an annual for reasons previously 

 given. 



Other forage plants might have been con- 

 sidered. It is, however, the object of this 

 little manual to call attention only to those 

 which have been practically useful at the 

 South. Further consideration of the subject 

 would, therefore, be rather curious than in- 

 structive. 



GUINEA GRASS. 



The writer has had no opportunity of 

 practical acquaintance with this grass. In 

 fact the name seems to be applied to three 

 entirely different species. Flint applies this 

 name to the Sorghum vulgare. This is 

 generally known as Dhourra corn at the 

 South. 



The editor of the Rural Carolinian says 

 that the true Guinea Grass is the Pauicum 

 jumeritorium, which is an annual. 



That which is ordinarily termed Guinea 

 Grass, is the Sorghum hala pense, by some 

 persons also called the Means grass. This 

 grass is propagated by underground stems or 

 roots. It has been dreaded by planters, 

 because it seems almost impossible to exter- 

 pate it where it has once been established. 



A prominent position is given to this grass 

 by its endorsement in the letter of Mr. N. B. 

 Moore, of Augusta, Ga. This gentleman is 

 certainly the highest authority in Southern 

 grass culture. I have before me a communi- 

 cation from Mr. Moore, published in 1834, 

 in the Southern Planter, urging the general 

 cultivation of the grasses at the South. Since 

 that time he has steadily devoted himself to 

 grass culture, planting nothing else on his 

 farm of one hundred acres of Savannah river 

 land, near Augusta, Ga. From these one 

 hundred acres he has derived an income of 

 from seven to ten thousand dollars per annum. 

 After persistent and skilful trial of the differ- 

 ent grasses, his preference of Guinea grass 

 will occasion much surprise. The difficulty 

 of eradicating the Guinea grass, is with him 

 an advantage. This would be a very serious 

 objection where the meadow was not designed 

 to be permanent. It does not appear to 

 spread. The letter of Mr. Moore will be 

 read with great interest by persons engaged 

 in grass culture. 



AUGUSTA, September 7, 1874. 



DEAR SIR: Yours of the 5th instant is 

 before me. In answer to your questions I 

 would say, that after an experience of up- 

 wards of forty years in cultivating grasses, 

 of almost every variety described in your 

 " Manual of the Grasses," I now prefer the 

 Guinea grass. It is perennial, is as nutri- 

 tious as any other ; when once well set, is 

 difficult to eradicate ; will grow on ordinary 

 land and yields abundantly. 



My meadow consists of one hundred acres 

 of alluvial land, near Augusta. Before 

 emancipation it received annually, for twelve 

 years, an average of five hundred cords of 

 stable manure, hauled from town, besides 

 wood ashes in large quantity. For the past 

 seven years, I have been top dressing with 

 commercial fertilizers, preferring Ober & 

 Son's double A. A., Baltimore, to any other. 



In winter I employ but four men, who are 

 enough to work my packing press ; in sum- 



