72 A MANUAL OF FARM GRASSES 



Bermuda pasture, when not combined with other plants, 

 should furnish gra'zing from May to November. A 

 Bermuda pasture may become sod bound in a few years, 

 in which case it is best to plow it up and harrow it in the 

 spring. The rootstocks make a new start and soon 

 occupy the soil. Under favorable conditions, an acre of 

 Bermuda pasture should support two cows for eight 

 months. 



As the seed of Bermuda is high priced, pastures are 

 frequently started from cuttings. The cuttings are ob- 

 tained by chopping sod into small pieces. These pieces 

 may be planted in furrows, the soil being turned back . 

 over them, not covering them more than 2 inches, or 

 the pieces may be forced into soft soil by stepping on 

 them. The pieces may be planted two feet apart each 

 way, so easily can Bermuda be started that the distance 

 apart of the planting is not very material. If large 

 quantities of cuttings are wanted, a field of the grass may 

 be plowed and the roots harrowed into windrows for use. 

 A carelessly cultivated corn or cotton field, if infested 

 with Bermuda, may be so completely filled in a season 

 that it is ready for pasture the following year. 



Bermuda for Lawns 



Bermuda has all the desirable qualities of a lawn grass 

 except that of holding its color during the winter. The 

 color in summer is a light green which, to some, is not 

 so pleasing as the dark green of bluegrass. But at the 

 approach of cold weather it turns brown or taw:ny and 

 does not become green again until rather late in the 

 spring. Nevertheless, it is the best lawn grass, for the 



