238 
SOUTHEEN CULTIVATOE. 
country and in Europe, its equal value in our own sunny 
land, and of the interesting reflection, too, that if equally 
available to Sonthern enterprise, it removes an incubus 
from our hopes, and fills the future with bright visions of 
unlimited improvement and prosperity. 
Leaving the Clover proper, we come next to Lucerne, 
which belongs to the same family, being a trifoil and re- 
sembling Clover in its general appearance, and likewise 
in the great depth of its roots, which are said often to des- 
cend as much as ten feet. 
Lucerne {Medicago Saliva) is earlier in its growth than 
Red Clover; more rapid in its growth; is said to yield a 
larger amount of green food, which is more delicate and 
nutritious, and also to make a superior hay. It often 
grows to the height of three feet, furnishes four good cut- 
tings, and makes four and five tons of hay to the acre. 
Lucerne is a native of Spain and the South of Europe, 
and is the favorite grass of France, of Spain, Portugal, 
and Italy; of Rio Janeiro, Brazil and of Chili. 
Its deep tap root enables it to bear the long drouths and 
hot sun of Southern climates. 
The late Judge Buel says of this grass -“From my 
own experience and the observation of others, who have 
cultivated it, 1 am satisfied that an acre of good Lucerne 
will feed six milk cows for five months., or from the 25lh 
of May to the 25th of October, which allowing Si 50 per 
month to each beast, would be S45.” This, at 7 per cent., 
would be the annual interest of $642. 
He says, further, “That it bears drouth better than apy 
other grass, and remains longer in the ground, being a 
perrenial plant.” 
Lucerne is chiefly used for green soiling, and is an ex- 
hauster ; and the superiority of Red Clover to it, consists 
in the adaptation of the latter plant to the purposes of 
grazing and the improvement of land. 
Both the history and character of this Grass point to it 
as suited to our Southern climate, and these indications 
have been verified by many successful experiments 
throughout the South and South West. 
It has been grown as luxuriantly and yielded as large an 
amount of green food to the area, in Greene county, Ala., 
as it probably would have done in New York, under the 
same conditions of soil. 
In treating next of the Grasses proper, it may be remark- 
ed, that although it is common to class Clovers with the 
Grasses, Johnston speaks of them as two classes of plants. 
He says, the two classes, indeed, are related to each other, 
both botanically and chemically, in the same way as Corn 
plants are to the leguminous, such as the Pea and the 
Bean. This classification is of some importance, as it in- 
dicates the proper soils and manures for each of the 
classes. 
Of the artificial Grasses, those best knqwn are the large 
and small Blue Grass, Orchard, Timothy, Herds, Ber- 
muda and Guinea Grasses. The Musquit and Rescue 
Grasses — the former a Texan, and the latter a South 
American Grass — have been recently introduced,*both of 
which promise to be valuable. The four first named, 
viz: Blue, Orchard, Herds, and Timothy Grasses, are cul- 
tivated extensively in the more elevated belts of the 
Southern States, and to some extent in the middle districts. ■ 
In the more Southern and Eastern portions, also, experi- 
ments sufficient to test the practicability of their successful 
growth have already been made. 
The Grasses are not deep-rooted like the Clovers, and 
cannot, therefore, bear so well the influence of a hot sun. 
But when sown on good soils with the necessary shade, 
they flourish in the central districts of the cottQn-growing 
region, and will probably do so in the Southern portion 
of it. There are several large woodland lots of Blue 
Grass, of Herds Grass, and Orchard Grass, containing 
from ten to sixty acres each, in Marengo and Greene 
counties, Ala., which have been well set and growing 
finely for years, and afford a large amount of pasturage. 
It is more desirable that the Grasses should grow in the 
woods, for in this way they can be made productive with- 
out injury to the valuable timber. In Kentucky, the wood- 
land is nearly as valuable for its rich crops of Blue Grass, 
as the arable land is for grain ; and, we are informed, fre- 
quently rents for four and five dollars per acre for grazing, 
with a clause in the lease restraining damage to the timber. 
Our idea of a model estate requires every acre of woods 
to be in Blue and Orchard Grass, or Herds Grass. 
The Musquit Grass has recently been introduced from 
Texas, and as it is a native of an almost tropical climate 
and has quite an extensive habitat in its native country, 
the most sanguine hopes are entertained that it will prove 
a valuable acquisition. 
Mr. B. V. Iverson, of Columbus, Ga., .has lately intro- 
duced a new species of Grass, which he calls Rescue 
Grass, and which is very appropriately named, if it be as 
valuable as he represents it. 
He has had it classified by Dr. Torrey, of New York, 
who calls it Ceratochloa Breviaristata, or Short Awn 
Horn Grass, and says that it has the largest grain of any 
known grass ; that it is a native of the Pacific Coast ; that 
from it,s large grain it makes a very valuable hay ; and 
further, that it must prove a valuable acquision to the 
South. 
Mr. Iverson says that it wdll keep stock fat during the 
winter and spring ; that it is as nutritious as Barley, and 
stock are as fond of it, and concludes its praises by saying 
that, without reservation, it is the most valuable Grass ever 
introduced into this section, or which can be introduced. 
Without any design to impugn his statement or disparage 
this Grass, we will say, that if it should prove half as 
valuable as is represented, it will confer a blessing on the 
South, and most rapidly come into public use and esteem. 
The Bermuda Grass is valuable for pastures, in many 
situations where other grasses and crops will not flourish, 
as in exhausted fields, on gullied hill-sides, and on river 
and creek bottoms, which are unfitted for cultivation by 
frequent overflows. The great objection to this grass is, 
the difficulty of eradicating it, when it spreads into the 
adjacent cultivated fields, which it is much disposed to 
do. 
The Guinea Grass furnishes a large amount of green 
soiling, and also roots, which are a nutritious food for 
hogs, but it is liable to the same objection with the Bermu- 
da Grass. 
There are other foreign Grasses which may yet be im- 
ported, and upon a fair trial prove valuable to us, as they 
have done in Europe ; such as the Italian Rye Grass, 
Meadow, Fescue, &.c., Ac., which are so much prized in 
England. 
Besides the artificial Grasses, tlie South possesses trea- 
sures in her native grasses which she has not yet learned 
to appreciate. If proper attention were bestowed on these 
the value realized would astonish us. As an illustration, 
a gentleman of Autauga county, Ala., distinguished for 
his successful enterprise in another department of indus- 
try, told us, a few weeks ago, that 20 acres of creek bot- 
tom land, he had the present year saved 10 tons of sound, 
sweet Crab Grass hay, which would serve*his purposes as 
well as the Northern hay, for which last he had to pay 
$35 to $40 per ton by the time it reached his stable door. 
His 20 acres of grass will, therefore, be worth to him 
$1400 to $1600, or $70 to $80 per acre, which is the 
interest on $800 to $1,000 per acre. 
In conclusion, we will say, that while we lament our 
W'ant of ability to do justice to this most important sub- 
ject, we at the same time believe, that in view of all tlie 
facts and considerations which have been presented, in 
the words of Mr. Calhoun, previously quotfed, “he must 
