Southern cultivator. (Augusta, Ga.) 1843-188?, April 01, 1867, Page 110, Image 18

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110 tricious, and is a favorite grass with all stock. On the Western plains, it grows as far North as the British Pos. sessions, being one of the chief grasses on which the Bus falo feed. It is common on the dry Cretaceous hills in and around the city of Austin, forming dense tuft- and often a fine turf. It affords an excellent winter pasturage, giving support during the winter to thousands of Buffa loes on the western plains, and also thousands of horses, cattle and sheep in Texas. The grass alluded to by Dr. Walker, near the close of his article, which springs up on rich cultivated lands, af ter the crop is laid by, is the Panicum 'Jcxamnn, anew species which I lately described in the Appendix to my Preliminary Deport in the Geological and Agricultural Survey of the State of Texas, 1866. This season it grew hereon rich bottom land to the height of about four feet. It makes an excellent hay. Here it often covers the ground entirely, and will yield two or more tons to the acre. It is the “ Rescue” grass of Sencx, at page GO of the February number of the Southern Cultivator for this year. lam glad that the grasses are now receiving so much attention from Southern farmers. While engaged in the Geological Survey of Texas in 1860 and ’6l, I collected most of the Texas species—among which were many un described, which I described in the proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for 1862. If Dr. Walker will send me his “ Wire Mesquite,” I think I can send him its botanical name. S. B. BUCKLEY. Geological Bureau, Austin Texas, Feb. 8, 1867. «!♦♦♦»■ What all TV Ia y and llewanl of F.ntcr])riso. Our planters generally have heretofore been lavish in theirspread of cottonseed, and the consequent employ ment of much negro labor. During the last year, howev er, circumstances compelled many individuals to economise their planting area, negro labor and expenditures, and in many instances the results have proved not more wonder ful in their character, than indicative of the great value of. improved and perfect farming. As an illustration of this point it is related of one of our Chancellors residing in Marlboro’ District, that being com pelled to abandon planting cotton at large, bis witeluduc ed him jocosely to allow her to appropriate a quarter of anaeiv of their vegetable garden to cotton and togivc its control to her. She immediately had it prepared, and the soil was cultivated by the house domestics. What do our renders supose was the result ? Notwithstanding an un favorable season, and other drawbacks of a disheartened character to the great mass of planters, that one quarter oj an acre produced tune hundred and eighteen pounds of cotton, or an average of between two and three bales per Ihe lesson taught by this incident is that every resident oil a farm, who will set apart one acre of ground break it thoroughly, manure it richly, plant it in ‘ cotton, till it well, and then count his profits, he will find that he has made twice as much money as if he had followed the old and careless course. Three hundred pounds of guano per acre where the soil requires fatness, will prove the philosopher’s stone of our prosperity. Let our housewives thus plant enough cotton to keep them in pin money, make their husbands fill the contend meat honse.and then be contented to live a year or two simply comfortable, within their re sources, patronizing our own people, ignoring fuss and fashion, and they can snap their fingers at the hide For tune untill the North wants us to go back in the" Union in honor. —<St>. Carotin t an . SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. [Continued from last Number.] lilt ASSES FOR THE SOUTH. BY REV. C. W. HOWARD, LATE ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR, KINGSTON, GEORGIA. If.—Can Tito Artificial Grasses be Grown in tlie Colton States. A great many things are now done at the South which, a few years since, were deemed impracticable. It was supposed that winter fruits could not be raised at the South. The reason was that the experiments were made with trees suited to a Northern climate. It is now eonce | ded that the Southern apples and pears for winter use quite equal the Northern. It was supposed that wine could not be made at the South, yet Southern wines can not lie exceeded in this country. It was supposed that malt, liquors could not be made at the South, yet beer of excellent quality is made here. It was supposed that cheese could not be made at the South, yet as good cheese as any made at the North has been exhibited at oUr Fairs. It was supposed that wool of the Saxon and merino sheep would deteriorate in the climate of the South, j'etat the World’s Fair in London, Tennessee wool took the prenium overall competitors. We should never conclude that a thing cannot be done because it has not been done. It is said that the climate of the South will be an effec tual barrier to the extensive growth of the artificial gras ses. These grasses make up a large class. There are several hundred of them —some belong to a cold climate, and some to a warm climate, some requiring a damp soil, and others a dry soil. There is as much difference in their habits as there is in the habits and wants of fruit trees. Because the fig and pomegranate will not grow in Massachusetts, shall we conclude that no fruit trees of any kind will grow there? And because a Northern artificial grass will not grow in a Southern soil, shall we conclude that no artificial grass will grow there? The Southern climate has its advantages and disadvan tages in grass culture. At the North the danger is that the grass will be frozen out, at the South that it will be burned out. Proper precautions must be taken in both instances. A traveler passing through the Southern States in July, and finding the grass parched under the summer’s sun, may, on his reaching the North in the same month, find their meadows looking green and re freshing, and may conclude that grass culture succeeds in the North, but is unsuited to the South. But suppose the same traveler finds in the following March that the land at the North is stiff’ frozen or covered with snow ; that the cattle are all housed and eating costly food; and’ when he reaches the South in the same month, finds the pastures gieen and verdant, and the cattle luxuriating in new grass, might he not with the same propriety conclude that the North was a bad grass country, and the South a good one ? The hot suns of the South are against the grass in the summer, but they are very much in its favor in the winter. Almost all the Northern grasses which will live at the South change their habits and become winter grasses They grow during the winter. It cannot be expected that they should grow during the summer. which the Almighty has made, possessing either animal or vege table life, requires some period of repose. These grasses which have so changed their habits as to grow during the winter, must not be grazed during the summer. ° Nor must they be closely grazed during the winter that their loots will be left in a denuded state to encounter the hot sun of the summer, which will kill them. They must be al lowed to rest from their winter and spring labors under a coyer of a portion of their own Vegetation. ihe ability to use the artificial grasses during the winter is a great advantage of the Southern climate. *V amounts to letting the stock mow their owrr*hay, and is a saving of t.se expense both of mowing and of expensive barns. The cost of one Pennsylvania stone barn would lay down a considerable Southern plantation in the winter* masses The substitute in the summer is the crab grass which springs as soon as the grain is cut, and affords a bite of