THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



75 



in eulogizing the various products of mother 

 earth, there is nothing to be compared to the 

 old-fashioned blue grass for permanent pasture. 

 It is not denied there are other grasses very va- 

 luable ; but blue grass comes forward early in 

 the spring, will bear moderate grazing through 

 the summer, and when not too closely cropped, 

 will keep neat stock, such as young cattle, colts 

 and sheep, in good condition all the winter. — 

 This cannot be predicated of any other grass ; 

 and as this is a favorable time, something in re- 

 lation to its management may be beneficial. 



"1. Soil. — Almost any land with a moderate 

 quantity of vegetable mould will grow it most 

 luxuriantly; but experience has taught, that 

 the richest limestone soil gives by far the best 

 crop. Old fields very much worn will answer, 

 if the farmer can have patience till the tender 

 plant gets properly rooted. Indeed, land fully 

 exposed to the sun is best for every kind of pas- 

 ture, if the full set can be obtained. Stock will 

 not go into the tallest grass in the shade, while 

 a morsel can be procured in the sunshine. How- 

 ever, very good blue grass pasture can be ob- 

 tained in woodland, if the timber does not en- 

 tirely shade the ground, and the farmer will find 

 it to his advantage to cut out the under growth 

 to let his grass have a little sun. Light, sandy 

 and stiff clay soils will not answer for blue 

 grassland we may be sure remarkably poor 

 land will not do, 



" 2. Preparation of Land. — If it is desired to 

 sow in woodland, the logs, brush, leaves and 

 trash should be taken off. After it is clean, 

 harrow the land thoroughly, and sow immedi- 

 ately. This is the best plan for blue grass on 

 any kind of land. 



" 3. Quantity of Seed. — A bushel or ten pounds 

 of well stripped seed is the usual allowance, but 

 if a bushel and a half can be spared, the stand 

 will be sooner and much thicker. A gallon of 

 clean seed will do as well as a bushel in the 

 chaff. Care should be taken that the seeds are 

 good. Notice that the straw was not cut when 

 too green, or that the seed appear not black and 

 smell musty. The chaff should appear yellow 

 and smell sweet. The eye and nose, will soon 

 tell good from bad seed. Seed properly gathered 

 and preserved" will not be injured for years, but 

 if they have ever been wet, or the least heated, 

 the probability is, that they will not vegetate. — 

 As a general rule, the fresher the seed the better. 



11 4. Time of Sowing. — January and February 

 are the best months for sowing; but March, 

 September and October will do pretty well. — 

 Many experienced farmers prefer sowing while 

 the snow is on the ground. In this way, most 

 of the seeds come in contact wirh the earth, as 

 the snow melts away, and the stand is apt to be 

 good. 



"5. Jlfter Management. — When the grass 

 first comes up, the blades are remarkably small, 



and not unfrequently the strong weeds seem to 

 have choked it out; but be not alarmed, the 

 grass is only waiting to send down its roots to 

 get better hold, and by and by, it will conquer 

 every intruder. Some pasture lightly the first 

 year, but we prefer nothing should touch the 

 land, till the second year, or immediately after 

 the seeds ripen. Then, pasture but lightly. — 

 The third year is as soon as a full and vigorous 

 stand can be anticipated. Care should then be 

 taken to tread the surface close with heavy 

 stock, and the grass will be rich and strong in 

 proportion to the density of the sod on which it 

 grows. The more you pack it, other things 

 being equal, the stronger it will rise. 



T. F." 



LICE ON CATTLE. 



A correspondent of the Maine Farmer says : 

 " Lice on cattle at this season of the year, are 

 on the butt end of the horns. Destroy them 

 now, and you will not have it to do in the win- 

 ter or spring. Strong tobacco juice or alcohol 

 will destroy them." 



Spirits of turpentine, rubbed on at the roots of 

 the horns, will also destroy them — and if a tea- 

 spoonful of it be put in the cup formed just back 

 of the horns, twice or thrice between this and 

 the spring, it will prevent the occurrence of hol- 

 low horn. 



A strong brine made of salt and water will 

 destroy lice, and it may be said to be the safest 

 application that can be made. — Ed. Am. Farmer. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 DOUBLE EARED CORN. 



Messrs. Editors,— In the No. of the ' Planter' 

 for March, 1842, your correspondent, Mr. Drum- 

 mond, asks, " what advantage can there be in 

 cultivating double eared corn ?" To satisfy the 

 doubts of myself and others, I was induced in 

 the autumn of 1839 to compare the produce of 

 stalks bearing single and double ears, selecting 

 the best of each kind, and, from memoranda 

 made at the time, I will give you the results, 

 so far as they were ascertained. 



On the 11th of November, I weighed eight 

 ears taken from four stalks, which weighed 4 

 lbs. 1 ounce, whilst four ears from four stalks 

 weighed 3 lbs. 9 oz. — difference 1 lb. 1 oz. in 

 favor of the double eared corn. On the 12th, I 

 weighed twelve ears from six stalks and six ears 

 from six stalks — the whole weight not noted, 

 but the difference is stated as 2 lbs. 4 oz. in favor 

 of the double eared corn — the greatest weight 

 from one stalk bearing two ears, was 1 lb. 10 

 oz., the greatest weight from one stalk bearing 

 a single ear, was 1 lb. 1^ oz. On the 15th, I 

 weighed the produce of three stalks bearing two 

 ears each : the first weighed 1 lb. 10£ oz.— the 



