SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
369 
Roller of the round iron Next, I make a frame of 4 inch 
[scantling for the Roller to revolve in, to be securely framed 
[with mortice and tennons well pinned on Roller. I next 
[put a tongue in, either for oxen or horses. Let your frame 
irest on the gudgeons ; confine your gudgeons by staples 
Ito their proper places. 
i Your Roller being complete, you will procure common 
; steel, such as we lay plows with in this country, say 2 1-2 
(inches in breadth by 1-8 in thickness; have one edge 
hammered out sharp and then tempered, ground sharp on 
ia stone or filed. This knife should be 7 feet in length. 
I You must, for an 18 inch roller, have 8 knives of this kind. 
I You place them at equal distances apart, lengthwise your 
i roller. You next confine your knife on roller, and in order 
! to do that I take iron 1 by 1-2 inch, cut off 6 inches in 
length; double it and you have 1 inch square; one end 
open to receive the knife ; let this straddle the back of 
your knife, say 1 1-2 inches, securely riveted with one 
I good rivet ; that will give you 4 1-2 shank to go into roll- 
er; place 1 at each end and on the middle; commence 
with knife No. 1 ; mark where your shanks come with 1 
inch augur ; bore for shanks, and so on, with No. 2; and 
if you should cut arabitin roller for the back of the knife 
to rest in, all the better. 
Such is a rough sketch of my Corn Stalk Cutter, and 
it works finely in our prairie land ; so much so that all of 
our farmers are having them made, and at the same time 
have solicited me to apply for a patent : but believing I 
was too far Southwest, and fearful of coming in contact 
with some worthy invention from the land of “Wooden 
Nutmegs” if I should go as far as Washington, therefore, I 
have declined applying for a patent, and authorise you if 
you see proper and can understand what I have attempted 
to describe to you, you can place it in ship-shape and give 
it to your numerous readers. 
Your obedient and humble servant, 
J. H. SiNGLETON. 
Wa,xahachie, Ellis Co , Sept., 1857. 
BERMUDA GRASS-=AGRICUETURE. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — It is stated in a form- 
er number of your gladdening journal that Bermuda Grass 
“is not very difficult to control or destroy, when properly 
managed.” 
It is not my wish cr intention to discredit a statement 
from authority which is oracular among planters and men 
of scientific attainment and research in the great cause of 
agriculture, but I am disposed to doubt any one’s ability to 
eradicoAe Bermuda Grass, by no matter what sort of 
management, without very great trouble, labor and im- 
mense difficulty. Ithas been the curse ofthe richest plan- 
ting lands in this county, and is dreaded as much as the 
famed grass which an Irishman declared took root so 
deeply that it clinched on “ ’tother side the world.” 
It is truly a disadvantage to any cotton country, though 
one of the best grasses we have for hogs and sheep 
Cows get poor upon it, and horses have to work hard to 
gratify their appetites ; besides in tilling soil on which it 
has become matted this valuable animal has to labor very 
hard and soon becomes poor and lean of look. 
It was said that salt, cliloride cf sodium, would kill Ber- 
muda ; as it will almost any other grass, but such is not 
the case, • 
A friend of mine emptied the brine out of a number of 
pickle pork barrels upon a small square of grass, and in a 
few days was disposed to think he had found the long- 
sought secret, but to his astonishment, the grass came 
out again very luxuriantly and grew off rapidly. A gentle 
man claims to have killed the grass by plowing it up 
thoroughly in mid- winter, and this seems the most ration- 
al theory that has ever been started ; for the roots cannot 
stand a freeze when they are exposed. 
I’ve been watching the experiment of a very intelligent 
planter near me who, I am disposed to think, will suc- 
ceed in thoroughly destroying the grass, but only after a 
large expenditure of labor, time and trouble. If his ex- 
periment succeeds it will be clearly demonstrated that the 
Bermuda Grass can be killed, but not easily or without 
difficulty. 
A planter, if he has the land to spare, should, by all 
means, have a pasture, and there is no grass which suc- 
ceeds better for pasturage, because tough and hardy, than 
Bermuda; though at the same time lie should avoid most 
scrupulously, getting the grass on any land which is re- 
served for planting purposes. ^ 
Another thing about this grass, is its possessing seed. 
The most of persons deny that it has seed, but my atten- 
tion was called to this fact by a gentleman whose practi- 
cal experience, gained in a prolonged battle with the 
grass would be prized,if given to the planting community, 
more particularly that part which are now cultivating 
soil platted and matted by its endless number of roots. 
The seed germinate like that of other grasses in the spring, 
though this grass, when from the seed, is easily killed un- 
til it has jointed, being, at first, young and tender. 
Dr. P.,of Edwards, Miss., perhaps could give some- 
thing valuable on the destruction of the Bermuda Grass, 
and any information, of a practicable plan which would 
thoroughly eradicate this much hated and truly hateful 
grass, would be appreciated and prized by all who have 
to work lands upon which it is growing. Horses carry 
sprigs of it in their shoes all day and wherever the joints 
which have eyes somewhat similar to the old sugar cane, 
fall, they most surely live and spread over the soil. 
It is also conveyed on waggon wheels for miles and 
planted out to the annoyance of men who dread it worse 
than poor lands and gullied hills, since Mr. Harmon’s oc- 
cuoation bids fair to become almost a science. Success 
to *him and Bermuda grass destroyers. Men making the 
destruction and thorough eradication of this abomina- 
tion an employment, would find handsome remuneration. 
It is notorious that we, as a people, in Alabama, do not 
pay sufficient attention to forage for stock— that we feed 
and rely too much upon corn and fodder, but heaven de- 
liver us from Bermuda Grass. 
It would gratify much those sufferers who are working 
in Bermuda patches to see the subject of its eradication 
discussed in your excellent monthly.^ Perhaps ah':!’ be- 
coming familiar with the subject, it may not be so dreadful 
as we suppose and, perhaps, with the pen alone some in- 
telligent planter (and there are scores of such) might be 
the rernote cause of much good and a great deal of satis- 
faction to those who are unfortunate, or consider them- 
selves so, in possessing lands “ run aw'ay ” with Ber- 
muda Grass. 
The cultivation of mother earth is rapidly becoming a 
science; and what is there more independent, more de- 
pended upon, more beautiful, more occupying and inform- 
ing than bringing forth the smiles, in luxuriant harvests, 
ofour kind relenting parent I Men may disappoint us, 
and they certainly wdll, wmmen may deceive us, but 
mother earth is ever fond to her children. If we are 
abundant in our affection to the good darne,.sheis not for- 
getful in her returns and gives to her working sons the 
influence of the world and the wealth and strength of na-: 
tions. 
In order to advance Agriculture, we should support out 
agricultural periodicals, and it is to be devoutly hoped that 
the men of this great couutjy will sustain these noble ef- 
forts in the noblest of causes. Interloper, 
Loirndcs Co., Alo.., Oct., 1857. 
I *We wdll give an article on the destruction of Bermuda 
and other troublesome grasses, in our January number. — 
1 Eds. 
