GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



69 



GRASS AND FIELD SEEDS. 



Kentucky Bine 

 Grass. 





KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.— (Poa Pra- 



tensis.) — Also called smooth meadow grass, 

 spear srrass, and green grass, 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 manj' 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 cleared 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. Sown alone, one 

 bushel should be used; in mixture. 4 to 6 

 pounds. 



BHODES GSASS (CMoris Gayana.)— Is 



a perennial, growing from .3 to 4 feet high, 

 with a large number of very long, narrow, 

 and tender leaves, and with rather few 

 branching seed spikes or slender branch- 

 ing stems. It is propagated by both seed 

 and roots. When seed is used it should be 

 sown at corn-planting time at the rate of 

 about 10 pounds per acre on a soil having 

 a fine, mellow surface, and then given a 

 light harrowing. As the seed is produced 

 only in small quantities and as it con- 

 tinues to be developed and matured 

 through the entire season, little can be 

 gathered at any one time. While the prin- 

 cipal value of Rhodes Grass is for grazing, 

 it is also used for hay, giving two or three 

 cuttings of about 1 ton each to the acre, 

 and the hay being of excellent quality. It 

 bears severe drouth and moderate frost 

 without injury, but is easily killed by 

 plowing late in the season. 



OBCHABD GRASS. — (Dactylis Glomer- 

 ata.) Thi.s is one of the best grasses for 

 pasture. It grows quickly. Can be sown 

 either in fall or spring. Sow from 1 to IV^ 

 bushels per acre. It may be mowed from 

 two to four times a year, according 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 m.ost animals select it in preference 

 among mixtures in other grasses. After 

 grazing, or mowing, few grasses grow so 

 rapidly (three to six inches per week), and 

 are soon ready again for tooth or blade. It 

 is easily cured and handled. 



BERMUDA GRASS.— (Cynodon Dacty- 



lon.) A]:-no.-L e\erybody livins- in this j 

 section of the country knows this grass; ! 

 it is planted as a lawn grass; and noth- 

 ing will stand the sun better, or will make 

 a prettier carpet, when kept short, than 

 this grass. It is also very valuable as a 



pasture and hay grass. It is only of late 

 years that we have been able to obtain 

 the seed of this grass, which heretofore 

 had to be propagated by the roots; 6 

 pounds will sow an acre. Should be plant- 

 ed in the Spring, but can also be sown 

 later. Under the most favorable circum- 

 stances it takes from 60 to 90 days to 

 sprout; requires damp weather and hot 

 sun: but when once up it grows very 

 rapidly. Used extensively by levee con- 

 tractois for planting on new levees. 6 lbs. 

 to the acre. 



MEADOW FESCUE. — (Pestuca Praten- 

 sis.) As a pasturage grass we consider 

 this one of the most valuable. It is not 

 affected by dry weather, as its roots pene- 

 trate the earth 12 to 15 inches; it is much 

 relished by all kinds of stock on account of 

 its long and tender leaves. It yields a 

 very superior hay when cured. It is de- 

 serving of much more attention. Sow in 

 Spring or Fall. Two bushels to the acre. 

 In some sections it is called Randall 

 Grass. This should not be confounded 

 with the English Rye Grass, offered by 

 some dealers as the same variety. 



ENGLISH, OB PEBENNIAI. BYE 

 GBASS. — (Iiolium Perenne.) Is largely 

 sov,-n by our landscape gardeners for win- 

 ter lawns on 

 Bermuda sod. 

 The Bermuda 

 blades being 

 easily affected 

 by frost. be- 

 come red and 

 rustly looking, 

 while English 

 Rye during 

 winter presents 

 a most beauti- 

 ful appearance, 

 being of a vivicj 

 green, and as 

 the Bermuda 

 during April 

 and Mflv- makes 

 its app'-arance 

 i t overgrows 

 the English 

 Rye. causing 



the latter to decay and act a^ a fertilizer 

 to the existing grass. It should be sown 

 from September to March, at the rate of 3 

 to 4 bushels of seed per acre. 



PASPAX.UM PIiATY-CAULE, OB CAB- 

 PET GBASS. — This Grass grows tena- 

 ciously in any sandy soil. Excellent for 

 lawns or pasturage purposes on the Gulf 

 Coast and all sandy lands, and grows 

 equally as well on clay uplands. Green all 

 the year in lower Gulf States. It stools 

 hea\ily and is one parent stalk; in nineteen 

 months will spread several feet in cir- 

 cumference. Blades are wide and give fine 

 foliage and when well rr-t form a thick 

 green carpet that oannoi. b'^ uprooted by 

 any an-i-)unt of s^razing. Tiiis grass is easi- 

 ly eradicated and one years cultivation of 

 the turf in any other crop will entirely 

 eradicate it. Ten pounds mixed with sand 

 for hand sowing will sow an acre. The 

 best time to plant Carpet Grass is from the 

 latter part of October to the middle of 

 ]March. Have the ground well prepared, 

 broadcast the seed, and do not try to 

 cover, as the rains will bury seed deep 

 enough. 



English Bye Grass. 



All Farm Animals Are Fond of Alfalfa. Green or Dry. 



