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


sod: and j. easily subdued when the meadow
; TO be transformed into a grain field. An
lther, elsewhere that IL suitable 20 wet prairieS
ess exhausting To the soil than the first: and is
specially recommended for cultivation in the
.arly settlement of a country, before a system of
lrainage eau be effected. Another, said TO be
tcrv productive, and exceedingly nutritious
ind when once well set, it forms a permanent
,od: but it is slow in taking root, and will not
stand our summer heat Another which grows T
IN tuits; and, in autumn, its leaves spread out /
nost vigorously. for all pasturagc. Another, +
rom It's aromatic and astringent qualities is
cndered agreeable Ia the palate of stock; il re-
ainN lis vcrdure in the depth of winter, fad, in /
he beginning Of spring il shoots forth with I
,igor. Another, with It's rich long slender |
leaves. two feet in height, is seen in the fine mp
lands of ihe limestone region; in autumn il falls |
over la thick windows, mating the whole sur
face together, and retaining It's freshness and
qualities amid the lrosts and SHOWS
of winter. Another, such rs the grass which
forms the celebrated pastures of the Swiss Alps
and those of the Tyrol, is peculiarly distin
guishcd for possessing qualities favorable To the
Secretion of milk, aud IS therefore preferred for
mich cows. Another, it Is said, will endure
cold and shade without suffering injury: an
other is only suitable for the light and heat of
summer; another, rich and nutritious, comes mp
of hay: another, adapted TO warm. moist river
bot oiIs, and, in some sections of our country.
yielding five tons of hay per acre, is highly
valued hy some graziers anoihcfis found grow
ing ON dry, gravcllv soils, aud hill sides; aud
part of It's value consists in the numerous seeds
which are retained in the pod, long after they
ripcn-serving as food for beast and fowl
"Grasses,' said a distinguished philosopher
"aFe Natures first care" They are the most
general, extensive, and hardy, of the carth's
productions They are nearly Of endless va
rieiy. and adapted to almost every climate
They endure the trampling of men and beasts,
the browsing Of cattle the parching droush;s OF
summer. and the SHOWS and ice OF Winter; and
spring into new and often more vigorous life.
under influences which To other plants would
prove destructive
On mountain tops where The warmth OF the
summer s sun is not sufficient To ripen then
( seeds. they live by their roots. and with thick
clustering leaves protect these roots, producing
thereby the denscSt aud most beautiful yerdurc
And it Is reported by one writer, that, for the
preservation of the grasses in those localitie;
4 where the ripening of their seeds is important
the wild beasts. guided 10y a remarkable in
| stincl, leave untouched the stems that suppor
the flowers. Do not the prOiuSiOn of grasses
with which the earth clad. and the laws which
50 remarkably preserve them, Indicate that the,
are worthy Of the special attention and cultur
of those for whom the earth is ordered and Is
tablishcd in fertility and beauty
The farmer who understands the importanc
of bestowing careful attention upon his stock
diligently husbands the grasses and grain
which furnish them with fond, and clothe then
with flesh. But, how little docs he think of tn
fact that these very grasses should receive atten
ton like that which he bestows ON his cattle
Plants cannot live without food, more easil,
than the OK and sheep; and hence, there is
great spcre for study and care, to the kind q
food which is adapted TO the most perfect pro
duction of grasses: and there is Il loud dcinan,
To protect them against injuries and depreda
tons; but many Il farmer will spend money an
labor, in rendering his flocks secure from will
animals, and in protecting his granaries fror
the pilferings of vcrmin, and yet think little {
the noxious influences and weeds that are stea
Oily stealing from his grasses the food whic
, nature has provided for them.
All plants receive more or less of their nutr
ment from the atmosphere; and, for that pul
pose, are furnished with organs adapted to al
sorb aliment from light and moisture. The>
E organs are found in their leaves, while the roc
is the portion that draws susenance from tn
I earth. The burger the leaves, the greater is th
proportion of nutriment received from the at
mospheTc. Hence grasses with smell ieaGes cs
haust the soil rapidly; whereas, the largo
: leaved varieties, like clover, drawing less froI
G the soil and more from the atmosphere, are III
best fertilizing clements: and such grasses, car
therefore, be successfully adapted to the cultnl
! of light lands which would entirely refuse
support other varieties
i regard it a wel-settled principle, tn;
there are in every country, indigenous plan
which, when their quantities are fully undo
e stood, are precisely those which are fully d'
; signed, by bonificent Proyident, To inrnishil
proper elements for the support OF animal liz
| The same principle prevails in relation 10 sod
and their capacities To support vesr,abl. III
Clay, sand, mari, and she'll, lymg in coi
proximity to each other, afford TO The inteilgei
farmer or planter, the means of increasing an
j preserving the fertility of the land.
!, Although neither the number nor the nam,
h of our indigenous grasses have been asce
/, certaincd, we cannot be ignorant of their gre
h variety, richness, and durability. when We loo
q over our country. from the 18th degree of nor
r latitude to The extreme south, and see the hcalt
: thrift and superiority of domestic stock, al
the number and condition of The wild anitna
. of our forests and prairies.
On the spurs and slopes of the Rocky Mon
V tains, and on the head waters of the Red riv
of the north immense herds of buffalo snbsi
@ on kind of grass which retains its frcshnc
a throughout the wintes, and which remains gre
.
!, and valleys are dried up by the heat and droug
- Of summer.
1t appears, from the statements of boianis
h that two hundred and fifteen varieties of he
/ baccons plants. commonly called grasses, Il
n cultivated in Great Britain. Perhaps, in ~
e own country. the student of Nature might fI
more Than one-half Of this number. growii
! spontaneously in the wild prairies which Gov
millions of acres. You may make your tra
> through these immense plains, and by the 81
: OF your path. each year, there will spring
IS new varieties of plants aud grasses. Whe
" thlswild grass is cut, or pasturcd, it brings for
annually, finer, better, aud different varieii,
n which are eagerly sought for. by the stock, viii
n the other and wilder varieties are Stunned.
, ! Who shall estimate the number OF our SrGssc.
Who shall classify them And-what Is 4
!, more important qucstion-whO shall test the
u IN the cruciblc OF science, determine their
: Spectivc values, So that the practical farm
N may. with certainty. avail himself Of the a
r vantagcs which will result from the cultivasi
Y ol the hest varieties;
= Naturc seems 10 indicate the propriciy of Sd
!, ing more than one kind of seed for meadows Al
], paSturcs; rs, 10 the natural heritage. We rare
. find the Whole surface of the soil occupied
/ one kind Of plants Theearth produces almo
an infinite variety of grasses, adapted 10 eve
e conceivable kind of soil and location. The co
Is and bleak mountain sides. the arid sand plain
If the alluvial marshes and the bogs, are cover
Nj with various kinds of vegetation, each kind Ill
i icrIng from others in It's organic structure m
i qualities, and each requiring certain appropi
= ate and peculiar elements for its support. II
nericulturist who avails himself of his know
e edge of these facts, may greatly Increase Il
value of his meadows and pastures. Where
O many stalks of one kind of grass Is produc,
i Is the soil is capable of supporting. another v
: ricty, that will lake from he soil different cl
:, meniS, may grow between the first Kind wit
! out interfering materially with it; rs il is not
, competition for the same nutritious particles
: the soil.
: 1t is difficult 70 determine, with respect 10 an
:, country, the proportion of meadow aud paStu
; lands, As compared with the total quantity
. land under cultivation. II il saul, that /
France, the meadows and pastures constiiu
about one-seventh of the cultivated lands:
England, about three -lourths In the Unite
2 States, the amount does not, probably, excee
: one-third. even in the best grazing and ha,
;, growing States; and. in many of the States, II