316 
SOU THEE N CULTIVATOK 
GRASSES. 
Editors Southern Cl ltivator— Enclosed you will 
find a sprig of grass. Will you be so kind as to inform 
me, either by letter or through the columns of the Culti- 
vator, what it is '? I presume it is either Bermuda or South 
Carolina Wire Grass. Does it mature seed'? If not, what 
danger would there be in planting it on an isolated pas- 
ture ? Is it not a valuable grass for sheep pasture 1 Your 
attention to this matter will greatly oblige, 
You IS most respectfully, J. W. W. 
CartcrsvUlc, Ga., August, lSb5. 
The sample of grass sent with the above letter is, we 
doubt not the common Bermuda, and Cynodon dactyloa of 
botanists. It does not mature seed in the Southern States ; 
but it is abundantly supplied with organs of reproduction, 
nevertheless, in its very extended stolonilerous roots. 
These are endowed with great tenacity of life; and in ad- 
dition to their natural habit of spreading in all directions 
in rite soil, the plow and the harrow aid in their wider dis- 
tribution by carrying broken pieces of stolons and roots 
from one place to another. Most planters regard Bermu 
da grass as a nuisance to be avoided if possible. It is, 
however, the most reliable grass for stock we have yet 
seen in Georgia ; and the writer is about to plant it on his 
form for grazing purposes. 
Mr. Affleck higldy commends it for making hay. It 
may grow tall enough on rich land for meadows, but on 
common upland in this State, it is too low and creeping 
to cut for hay. A. liberal use of manure will go far to 
remedy this defect. It has- an important advantage over 
^'Crab grass” in not requiring the ground to be plowed 
every year to obtain a fair crop. With proper care to 
keep up the fertility of the soil, a luxuriant Bermuda pas- 
ture may be indefinitely prolonged without breaking the 
sward. For directions for planting, see an article from 
the pen of Mr. Affleck, in the April number, present 
volume, of this journal. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— I enclose to you some 
seed and a sprig of grass which came up in my yard 
(from grass that came from New York enclosing crockery- 
ware). It is a beautiful yard grass ; and I think, if plant- 
ed on wet soil, would make a good pasture, as cattle are 
very fond of it. Ifyou have leisure to attend to it, please 
let me know its name and qualities and whether it is 
annual or biennial, and you will greatly oblige one who 
appreciates your zeal in agricultural improvement. An 
answer through the Cidtivator will oblige 
A Subscriber. 
CavifbcUtn-n, Miss., Avgvst, 1855. 
We are unable at present to give the botanical name of 
the grass sent in the letter above copied. It may have 
been imported from England or France into New lork 
around crockery, as it came to Mississippi. We have a 
collection of twenty eight genera, and sixty-two species of 
the most common grasses grown in the Northern State.'^, 
.and Great Britain, but the specimen before us differs fmi.". 
them all The organs of fructification in many grasses 
are so small and obscure that a simile sample, folded and 
rubbed in a letter, is not sufficient to enable one to detect 
even with a good magnifying g]as.s, its true species and 
character. No seed came in the letter, or in the glumes cf 
the plant. As its stem is but a few inches in length, it 
would seem to be too small to yield a large crop alone. 
With other grasses, it may be valuable. 
Loudon remarks (see page 886) that “the best gra.ss 
pastures, those which are most productive and nutritive, 
are such as are found in countries that have least cold in 
winter, and no excess of heat in summer. Ireland, Britain 
and a part of Holland and Denmark, may equal or surpass 
any countries in the world in this respect; but in every 
zone where there are high mountains, there are certain 
positions between the base and summit, where from the 
equability of the temperature, turf may be found equal to 
that in marine islands. It is a singular circumstance with 
regard to grasses, that in the greater part of North Ameri- 
ca. the sorts that grow naturally on the plains are almost 
all annuals, and consequently with the first frost they die, 
and the ground remains naked until a fresh crop rises 
from tlie selfsown seeds the next spring. Nearly the 
same thing may be said of Poland and Russia, with the 
exception of the banks of rivers, and the mountains.” 
Perennial grasses, whether for i?razing or hay, are vast- 
ly better than the annuals It is only on large prairies, 
plains, or other commons, that much depastured annual 
glasses are able to maintain themselves without cultiva- 
tion. Without tillage, a pasture or meadow of “Crab- 
grass,” or “Crow foot” would be short lived. Col. Stan- 
ford evinced the sagacity of a shrewd farmer when he 
fixed his attention upon the perennial character of his 
“Wild grass;” and his friend. Mr. E Strong, also com- 
mends it for “ growing finely through the winter” in the 
August number of the Cultivator. Miss Kent gives the 
following glowing description of the Tall Oat Grass, in 
Loudo.n's Magazine of Natural History : — “I have seen 
it six feet high, with leaves two feet long, and more than 
one inch wide, with its panicle of flowers gently drooping 
to one side, at least 18 inches in length, and so finely 
polished that, but for their green color, we might think it 
was comjjosed of silver oats. Yet it is not green ; neither 
is it white, nor golden color, nor purple, but it is a union 
of all these; it is the offspring of silver and of gold, of the 
amethyst and the emerald. It is indeed very variable; 
but in the full pride of its beauty, this grass is truly 
magnificent.” 
Prudent men will be careful not to expect too much of 
aay one grass. It is fir a wise purpose that nature fur- 
nishes a great variety of herbage to all graminiferous ani- 
mals. Beside the grasses, sheep eat some 200 species of 
plants. No two yield food precisely alike Hence, peas, 
beans, lupins, clover, turnips, cabbages, carrots, beets, 
pumpkins, and all the cereal gasses, are fed to domestic 
animals with success. What mixture of grasses will form 
the best permanent pasture in Georgia, in the latitude and 
climate of Athens, is infurmation which we should gladly 
ieceive"? Can any indigenous or acclimated Blue grass 
mainUiin itself in conjunction with the Bermuda'? Will 
not the latter “run out” every competitor growing side hy 
side with it'? Any suggestit.ns on this subject by such as 
have had experience in forming pernianeiil pastures, or 
meadows, will gratify the wishes of many besides ihc 
writer. 
