486 APPENDIX. 



unless the trees are nearly all cut down ; but under the black walnut blue 

 grass is invariably found, and always so luxuriant as to lead to the convic- 

 tion that there is some strong affinity between them. 



Owing to the red clay and the layers of chert underlying our soil which 

 enables it to withstand dry, hot weather without parching, blue grass is 

 more reliable in a season of drought, and much less frequently killed dur- 

 ing summer in Robertson than in Davidson and the contiguous counties- 

 It is also a noticeable fact that in our old fields, which from one cause or 

 another, have been abandoned and suffered to go for several years without 

 cultivation, blue grass springs up spontaneously, and if the black berry 

 briers and the broomjsedge, our greatest pests, are burned off a few times 

 to give the grass a fair opportunity to take root and to spread, it soon 

 forms a fine, rich pasture, fresh and green all the year round. Our red 

 clay sub-soil is a great element of resuscitation, and when exposed to the 

 disintegrating effects of thawing and freezing it soon begins to form a new 

 soil on the galded spots so common on the hill sides of the country, and 

 if a little brush — cedar is the best — or straw or litter which will catch and 

 hold the particles of loose clajlbe thrown on these thin spots, and then blue 

 grass seed be freely sown among the brush, we can soon transform our red- 

 fluted old fields and reproachful looking worn out spots into excellent 

 pasture land. I have seen this so fully and sufficiently tried as to thor- 

 oughly establish its success. Herds grass or red top will accomplish the 

 same purpose, and will perhaps grow even more rapidly, though it will 

 not afford so much grazing. The blue grass seems to flourish equally well 

 on hills and bottom lands, but asj unfortunately corn and tobacce 

 almost exclusively occupy the attention of our farmers, we have in the 

 county but a limited number of acres, which, beautiful in their perennial 

 green coat of this king of grasses, delight the eye wearied with the sight 

 of endless cultivation. 



Orchard grass grows well, and is especially fine for pasture, ranking in 

 this particular both for winter and summer grazing, next to blue grass, 

 and in many places is pronounced superior to it. It thrives on either, 

 high or low lands, but, of course, grows best on the richest soil, and if mix- 

 ed about half and half with clover, will make excellent hay. If sown by 

 itself, the heads being large, one, by using a hand stripper, can easily save 

 his own seed and multiply his pastures indefinitely. It grows in tussocks, 

 and if not sown thick enough at first, as. is very apt to be the case, by al- 

 lowing it to go to seed and to fall down, it very rapidly thickens itself to 

 almost a perfect sward. It may be sown either in the early fall or early 

 spring. March I regard the best month, and the ground should be thor- 

 oughly prepared. 



Herds grass is more extensively cultivated in Robertson than any other 

 grass, and this fact would naturally lead to the belief that on our soil it 

 is best suited for general purposes, both of pasture and of meadow. While 

 it does not afford the grazing of blue grass it makes a fair fall and winter 



