GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



95 



follows: The ground should be thoroughly 

 plowed, leaving no weeds. Plow first one 

 way and then crossways, making thorough 

 drainage; allow no water to remain on the 

 seed beds or meadow, nor around them. To 

 be successful it should be planted three 

 consecutive years. The first year, work as 

 above with 30 pounds of seed broadcast. 

 The second year, about the same time, 20 

 pounds of the seed, without disturbing the 

 eround. The third year, about the same 

 time, 15 pounds of seed, without disturbing 

 the ground; but simply broadcasting the 

 seed by hand in the gaps, for no matter 

 how carefully you are in sowing the seed 

 you will have gaps. Then you will have a 

 meadow forever. 



All farm animals are very fond of Al- 

 falfa, green or dry, and it is calculated that 

 one acre will, during the growing season 

 from May till October add 150 pounds of 

 meat to each of the 12 or 15 growing pigs 

 which can be kept on it. Even the chickens 

 and other fowls will, in winter, devour 

 with relish a mash made up of scalded 

 Alfalfa leaves mixed with bran and corn 

 chop, and will amply repay the careful 

 keeper by filling the egg basket with eggs, 

 when they are worth 35 and 40 cents a 

 dozen. Bees do very well on a field of Al- 

 falfa in bloom, and bee keepers are sure 

 of a good crop of honey, the finest, richest, 

 thickest, whitest and best flavored in the 

 world. No honey can equal it and it runs 

 from 12 to 13 pounds to the gallon, while 

 the other honey runs from 11 to 12 pounds. 

 The nectar is so abundantly secreted, dur- 

 ing the time it is in bloom, that for a given 

 acreage no plant will support as many 

 colonies. 



KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.— (Poa Pra- 

 tensis.) This is also called smooth meadow- 

 grass, spear grass, and green grass, all 

 three very appropriate, characteristic 

 names, but Blue is a 

 misnomer for this 

 grass. It is not blue, 

 but green as grass, 

 and the greenest of 

 grasses. Kentucky 

 Blue Grass with its 

 underground stems 

 and many roots, sus- 

 tains the heat and 

 drought of the 

 Southern States. It 

 may be sown any 

 time from September 

 to April, preferably 

 perhaps in the latter 

 half of February or 

 early in March. The 

 surface of the land 

 should be cleaned of 

 trash of all kinds, 

 smooth, even; and if 

 recently plowed and 

 harrowed, it should be 

 rolled also. One year 

 here gives a finer 

 growth and show than two in Kentucky, or 

 any other State so far North. Sown alone, 

 •one bushel should be used; in mixture, 4 to 

 6 pounds. 



BOKHARA MULITOTUS OR SWEET 

 CLOVER. — A hardy perennial Clover, grow- 

 ing wild in many sections, particularly the 

 prairie States. Will thrive and prosper 

 wherever Blue Grass, Red Clover and Al- 

 falfa grow. May be sown in most any 

 month; late fall and early spring considered 

 best. A frequent practice is to sow it with 

 winter grain. Flowers furnish abundant 

 forage for bees. 



nd 



Rescue Grass. 



depression of tern- 



Kentucky Blue 

 Grass. 



RESCUE GRASS.— (Ceratochlea Austra- 

 lis, or Bromus Shraderii.) A forage plant 

 from Australia. It grows during the win- 

 ter. Sow the seed in the fall of the year, as 

 It will not 

 sprout as long 

 as the ground 

 is warm. Sow 

 iy 2 to 2 bushels 

 of seed to the 

 acre. It is an 

 annual winter 

 grass. It va- 

 ries in the time 

 of starting 

 growth. We 

 have seen it 

 ready for mow- 

 ing the first of 

 October, and 

 f u r n'i s h fre- 

 quent cuttings 

 till April. 

 Again it may 

 not start before 

 January, nor be 

 ready to cut 

 until February. 

 This depends 

 upon the moisture 

 perature. 



ORCHARD GRASS. — (Dactylis Glomer- 

 ata.) This is one of the best grasses for 

 pasture. It grows quickly. Can be sown 

 either in fall or spring. Sow from 1 to 1V 2 

 bushels per acre. 

 It may be mowed 

 from two to four 

 times a year, ac- 

 cording to season 

 and treatment; 

 yielding from one 

 to three tons of 

 excellent hay per 

 acre on poor to 

 medium land. In 

 grazing and as hay 

 most animals se- 

 lect it in prefer- 

 ence among mix- 

 tures in other 

 grasses. After 

 grazing, or mow- 

 ing, few grasses 

 grow so rapidly 

 (three to six inch- 

 es per week), and 

 are soon ready 

 again for tooth or 

 blade. It is easi- 

 1 y cured and 

 handled. It is 

 readily seeded and 

 catches with cer- 

 tainty. Its long, 

 deeply penetrating 

 fibrous roots enables it to sustain itself 

 and grow vigorously during droughts that 

 dry up other grasses, which has similar 

 roots and characteristics. It grows well 

 in open lands and forests of large trees, 

 the underbrush being all cleared off. 



ENGLISH, OR PERENNIAL RYE 



GRASS. — (Lolium Perenne.) This is the 

 first grass cultivated in England over two 

 centuries ago, and at a still more remote 

 period in France. It was long more wide- 

 ly known and cultivated than any other 

 grass, became adapted to a great variety 

 of soils and conditions, and a vast number 

 (seventy or more) of varieties produced, 

 some of which were greatly improved 

 while others Mere inferior and became an- 



Jl m 



. 





r/. 



Orchard Grass. 



Frotscher's Adam's Early Corn is True to Name. 



