Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-10-13

Discovery OF New GRAIN.-P. ST.
George Cook, Captain Of the U. States
Dragons, stationed at Fort Leavenworlh,
in letter 10 the National Institute. al
Washington, written after bis return from
The late excursion to the MexiraH frontier,
describes whh,.g great misUseness new
grain disco, cred " Aim, (which ha Is We
~ sanguine will be found il va!uableeed-
dilion 10 the national agricultural inleres,
He says:-
IN travelling from For, Leavenworlh.
abou. one hundred miles 10 the south west
we first see The buffalo grass : by this
name alone the suhjec. .of this letter is
Advancing in the same tourse-on the
Santa Fe road-.his grass very gradual
~ increases in quantity, until a, The Paw
nee Fort Of the Arkansas. abou, 2 dogs
west Longitude, il very abruptly becomes
not only prevailing growth. bnt the al
most exclusive vegetable production.
In the country, north east Of its peculiar
region, i, is only seen on The poorest spots
(sand resting on clay) and in the road it
is Of a pale green; falling. it takes a slight
roo. on The joints of The stalk: these joints
are eight or ten in number, and are four or
five inches apar, This peculiarly is on
-ly observed on close inspection, for, the
joints also sending up a short stem. on
which is found the grain and slender
blades, il resembles an unlhrif.y blue grass;
aud, like that. i, forms a sod. bni a smoo-
| Their and far harder one. About harvest
Time, the county turns to the yellowish
brown color Of our ripe grain fields and III
extensive views 10 the eye is only reliev-.
ell by The green OF single variety Of spice
weed. which dots the smooth brown sur.
face of the cath. Thus, so short and We.
ry wilhered in appearance. it seems who'll
ly insuficien.,o supper! animal life, whilst
proving with its grain rich and ample
food for countless buffaloes; and also for
the diminu,ive but far more numerous
'prairy dog"
Captain Cook picked half a pint of the
grain with his fingers. which he intends TO
send TO the institute by The first Opportuni-
ty. He inclines to the belief that grass
will prove, if successfully introduced, a.
valuable pasture for sheep and cattle ON
grounds in the eastern & N eastern states,
where nothing else will grow SO well.
A rABLs.-A certain crab, cast upon The
shore by the tide, and eager to regain lis ma
tive element. was walking. as was his custom
side ways TO The waters edge. BY the way
he met with an eel in the same pfedicameni:
but he, like most other people travelled with
his head foremost. I do not see" said the
eel, ..why you should refuse to conform To-
The custom Of the world and the habits Of So
cieiy, therefore I'd thank you 10 turn about
and walk like other pie The crab n.ain-
,ained his RICH, 10 walk as he pleased, more
especially as it was the only way lie could
walk. The eel persisted. A quarrel ensned :,
meantime the tide went out. and neither parry
being able to reach The water, backward or for.
ward, they were left 10 die Of thirst on the land.
AxrcDorr.-Two old stars once stood
very in,eDt!y observing a regiment as'drM up
on The garrison parade. al some distance from
their own position. The instructor for an u''-I
usual length Of time had been practising the
regimen, in ''naiking .,iine - al las! one o.
the iats unable TO make head OF tail out Q!
what was going on, cried out 10 his companion
-s.'l say, Jack, what a d--n strong tide.
must 6e out there; them poor devils have been
pulling away this half boar, and ain't got q,
hadd N inch !sssA82 ~ 4ekA@@