Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-10-11

of our country, we viii find 1t difficult TO COM
pete successfully with the sandstone and drift
formations in the cultivation Of wheat. and
other cereal grains. We cannot raise fifty bush
els of wheat TO the acre i'm the limestone region.
Each portion al our country, however, has its
own peculiar undevelopcd clements of wealth:
and the countless and increasing facilities which
our oceans lakes, rivers, canals, and railroads
afford for an interchange of our various staple
productions. should induce the Farmers and
planters of the several States Of our Union To
study carefully the nature and qualities of the
soils which they respectly cultivate. Those
districts IN which the cultivation and improve
lnent of our indigenous grasses shall receive
proper attention, may become the wealthieSt /
portions of the republic.
We shall always find superior stock in those
districts where the cultivation of grasses receives
attention.. Many demonstrations of this fact ,
may bc seen in our own country, rs well as in |
Europe. Notwithstanding the large population
of Great Britain, (who are mainly dependent on |
her commerce and manufactures she could not
sustain herself, if she were compelled to import
hay for her diaries and meat markets There
was a time in her history when she was Deepen
dent upon her mountains, and her neighbors,
for her butter and meats: But, with her culliva-
ton of grasses, her population has increased;
and her stock, of every kind, has attained n de-
gree of excellence which supports a demand for
u in the markets of all countries.
In Holland, where the business of rearisg cat
tie constitutes of the principal sources Of
wealth. and where the price of landed property
is high, large portion of the surface Of the
country is devoted TO pastnrage and the cultisa
ton of grasses. IL is said, that the cultivation
of single kind Of grass, in Jamaica, has ncreas-
ed, beyond computation, the value of the trade
and commerce of that island.
Blue grass has done, for kentucky, what
/ turnips have done for Flanders, aud portions of
- 4 - ~ \ n 1T.
/ old process, which wore out the land, but res
tored the soil, and brought large profits TO gra-
zicrs.
Along the banks of the Mcrrimaek. grass that
fifty wears ago, was considered as n great evil.
has within the last twenty years, been regarded
equal, if not superior TO any other variety for
; hay. Similar favorable changes have been made
+ in the Sonh, and in every portion Of the conn
try, wher, Inc attention OF agricnltnr:listS has
been dircci I'd Ia the subject.
A planter Of Alabama, in recent cOmmuni
cation 10 the United States Patent Office, says:
"0ur native, or spontaneous grasses, with pro-
, per care and attention. would prove an inyalua-
bic treasure. The experiments OF Major Sey
mour Powell fully demonstrate the correctness
5 of this impression, and prove most conclusively
4 that the crop of crab grass grown ON n prairie
: field after the corn i laid by, if well saved
c would be worth more than the com. To test
: the matter. he measured several acres. OF the
first acre he gathered thirty bushels OF corn,
which at the market price, % cents, brought
, SD 80. OF the same acre, he saved 2.6i5 lbs.
5 nice hay, worth from 81 to l % per cwt.-say
a S26 -. The second acre yielded 3, $50 pounds
e Of hay, worth S37 50, and the corn worth
l. S2s i0.'
: According tn the statements of a distinguish
y cd florist and boanist. Mr.. Prince, Of Flushing,
4 J.. l., there arc, in California, hundreds OF Spe-
4 cics of trees shrubs, herbaceous and dubious
= towering plants, indigenous To that region,
d which are totally distinct from those found IN
! other parts of the globe; many of them being
1 entirely new 10 the botanic world. Mr. frnce
d says, 'ln dubious flowers, this country Cali
n fornia is particularly rich, and many of them
}, are of great beauty and interest, and particular
/ ly striking. The balsamic character OF very
b many of the herbaceo1s plants forms a peculiar
feature in that class.
i Some friends of agriculture are making efforts
r TO improve our grasses, by the introduction 81
= foreign varieties Many of the English grasses
e are handy and very nutritious. They might no
4 endure nur climate. But on the other hand 4
&c is possible that a change of climate would re
c suit in IN improvement of the good qualities o
! a good grass.
: II will, however, be time enough TO make ex
= perimenis Hpon foreign grasses, when we shal
n have learned something more of our own. with
e in the laitudes. climates, soils and situations
D, we have. | doubt moi, more different kinds o
re grass than found i'm any other portion OF tn
10 globe: aud yet The number which we cuitlyal
does not exceed twenty.
at We should learn to appreciate the beauty
IS improve the growth, and increase the value Q
r the indigenous trees, plants. and grasses OF TIA
g United States. Leaving out of view the erro
ne of useless peeuniary expenditure, alI'l regardn
e. the subject rs merely one of TASTE am iacline
). TO believe that we have injured the appearance
ha M
SC turesquc beauty Of many an humble home, IN nj
ut temptings by the importation of shrubs an
Ill grasses, TO initiate the landscaps gardening an
the rural scenery of other countries. The nj
es tive garniturc of our own forests, helds, mead
r. ows, and PASTURES, when modified and improve
at by our own hands, directed by cultivate
ok taste, will be sufficient TO enrich, adorn, an
IN beautify our land.
h, These remarks are made, not with The cony
I'd ton that am offering any new facts for Il
is consideration of good farmers-but, with I'll
hope Of melting the agricnlturists Of the corl
N try To look with special interest, into the suble
er of our native grasses. This subject has not r
st ceived, nor does il now receive, that degree
'ss public attention which il deserves.
en- We saw two or three kinds of grass seeds
ms Nature gives us numerous varieties of tho:
hit which arrive at perfection, in different latitude
of our country, during each successive mont
Is, from Spring 10 Autumn;-yet, We are iSnora
n OF the qualities ofthe grasses which grow spo
re tancously in our common pastures; and v
ur know but little of the weeds which iniurc ~
nd destroy them.
De- Some time ago. in the course of seientii
cr examination. twenty two species of grass we
elk found on 4 single square foot. of rich ancie'
de pasture. in England. Recently in a Wcstel
lp State. by means of the enterprise aud industI
re Of one lady, specimens OF seventy five kinds
tn grass were found and presented rs a bouquet,
rs. AN annual State Fair.
lie The worst of all dcprcdaions are those whiC
- iguoront and reckless men commit on the
mother earth-th source and support OF organ
ar liie-when they destroy or impair the fertili'
IN of the land, either by theirignorance, or by the
&C. neglect of the means by which it may be in
er proved and preserved. II is our duty 10 lea'
IL the earth in condition as good ut least as
on was when We found IL.
In many parts of the country the people sec
" 10 believe that the earth is possessed of a col
nd stitution rs strong, s0 stout and so health
IN that no extreme OF had usage can affect it inil
by riOusly; hnt Time the great instructor. is den
st onsiraiins our folly; and warning US to chang
~ our modes of farming. While the busbaudma
Id carries forward his works of agricultural in
IS, provemont, he must not forget the inlunc'io
ed Let the earth bring forth grass" II, dsn
il. garding this mandate. he shall continue to ne.
nj lect the investigation and cultivation of gr;lsse
n inc annual depreciation al MS crops ol corr
he and other grains, will, ultimately, qualify hin
l. TO appreciate fully the force of the Belgian ma,
he im,-''nO grass. no Stoek:--no sfock no maRar.
ut no manure no crops
ID In no one thing does the snorance'uf the law
a. OF nature, so common among farmers, mar
e iiest itself SO plainly as in The panic tia
h. spreads ike an epidemic over The Who'll
n country, when the crops are threatened wit
IN any of the thousand casualties, incident
not To agricultural pursuits only, but TO ever
" other human avocaion. The merchant an
re banker SEQ a financial crisis approaching, and
of understanding the laws If commerce and trad,
in deliberately prepare To meet what they eanno
tc avert. without the murmuring and croak in
in that Hills all the land when the crops are i
ii danger This disposition to complain abou
ID failures in the crops, not only bctrays gnoranc
y but 1t exhibits an almost impous want of con
le fdeuce in the wisdom and benelicence of tina