72 Richard Frotsclie^-^s Ahnanac and Garden Manual 



TEE3irLLio>'TiLLE. LonsiAKA, October 10th, 18S1. 

 Me. EICHAED FEOTSCHEE, ^^e^v Orleans, La. 



Dear Sir : 



In coaiplying with yonr reqne=-.tto give yon my experience in 

 the cultivation of Bescue Grass, I do Eot propose toth^owany 

 more light npon the sn' ject. nor to present any new features to 

 those v>ho are acquainted wiih this grass, but simply lo state a 

 few pilain facts that may be of some value to those ^vho are ac- 

 quainted with it. 



Tbis grass was first brought to my notice about twenty years 

 sinee as California Oats. I atterwards learned its true name to 

 be Bescue Grass, though it is known to a great many farmers in 

 this neighbor!! ood by the name of ^' Iver>on Grass.*' and is re- 

 gardt-d in this section or the country, by those acquainted v.ithit, 

 as a most valuable icinter grass, for it is a growth only of cold 

 weather, the st^ed never gtrrminating daring warm weather, no 

 matter when planted. 



My method, when wishing to start a new plot of it. is to 

 plough the gT'.und once or twice during the summer to get it in a 

 thoroughly pulzerized condition before sowing tbe seed in the 

 early fa:l: and if the srronnd is not uaturi^Uy rich, put on about 

 enough manure to make a good ci-rn cop. (The richer tbe land 

 the better tl e pasrure ?.nd tbe faster the grass will grow, -^f s^-il- 

 ing is the object for which it is us^d.) Then, about tbe first of 

 Sepember I icplough ihe grouiid, sowing the seed immediately 

 after, and harrow ''them in"' as you would do sm 11 graiu. This 

 puts them in good condition, aiKl early enough in this climate, 

 to insure their coming u{> with the firsc cold weather in tbe month, 

 of September or Oct' ber. IXothifig more is necessary to be (io'te 

 to insure you a good pasture by Christmas. I usua ly sow about 

 two busbels of ^e^d to the arpenr, but if soiling is the object for 

 wbich it is sown, then tbree or even four bushels are not too mu( h, 

 for the thii-ker it stands, if the land is rich, the quicker wil it be 

 hi^h enongb f.*r the sickle. 



I have a small iJot of this gXriss in my g.irden, 30x84 ft^et, 

 which I use for soiling. Fiom this little plot 1 fed during m11 of 

 last winter (and you kisow how severe the winter was) twelve 

 head c-f grown sheep with their lambs, in all twen'y bead, and upon 

 th's grass, with a few cotton seed and tin nips, they kppt m excel- 

 lent c nuition. yielding me in the spring a heavy fleece of wo d. 

 After the winter was ove-, the gr.iss upcn this plot went to seed, 

 fiom which I gathered 150 lbs. of clean seed, leaving enough on 

 the ground to re-seed it. 



'ihis gTass ripens its seed early in May, then dies, giving 

 ample t'me to x>lant the giound in any crop that will not require 

 p'ongbing after the first or middle of September, when the >eed 

 Will jigasn spring u;), giving a good i-asture the following winter 

 and spring, ai d I have yet to tind the animal or fowl th.t is not 

 fond of this grass, and but lew th-ng^ afford fowls mo-e food 

 during winter than this gr iss. But I would advise those planting 

 it never to let the foot of a goose touch it, for his foot is like red- 

 hot iron to all winter pastures. 



