New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-06
GOV. WRIGHTS ADDRESS

The Hon. JOSEPH A. WRIGHT, present G)vern u Of
Indiana, delivered the Annual Address before our
State Agricultural Society at its Fair at Elmra yes
terdsy. His subject was Grasses their importance,
variety, cultivation and improvement A great pres
sure upon our columns this morniug compes us TO
admit the msiny rhetorical statistical portions Of
this Address, and publish only such parts of il as
smbody suggestions practical i'm pro vement. They
ere as follows:
"An plants receive more or less of their nutriment
from the atmosphere; and for that purpose are fur
nsbed with org ans adapted to absorb allment fro
hight and moisture. These organs are found in their
lesyes while the root is the portion thal draws sus-
tepance from the esrtn The larger the leaves, tue
grea err is the proportion of nutriment received from
the atmosphere. Hence, grasses with small iedveS
exhaust the soil rapidly; whereas, the largerleayed
varieties, like clover, drswi less from the soil and
more from the atnosp,ere, are the best fertilizers
return ing to the earlh, when turned under, larger
percentage OF terlhzing clements; AID grasses,
can, lore, be successfully adapted TO culture
Of light lands which would entire, refuse TO support
oiher varieties. A
Nature seems to indicate the proprey of s,wiog more
than kmo OF seed for mvao aud pastures as ia
the natural herbage we rarely find the whole surface
OF the sell occupied oy one kna Of plans The earth
produces alpos' iuhulte vsriey OF grasses ad.pd
10 every conceivable kind of sell am 10 alton rbe
cold aLd beak tsiu.stles, the arid saod plains
the suvial bot ON lands, the marshes the b,ss
are covered with various klrds Of vegetation, each
qualt,s s. ana each requiring certain appropriate and
peculiar elements for rs support. Tbe agrcultur-
ist Who sails himself of bis knowlecg &c of these
facts, may greatly increase the value Of his meade
and pastures Where as many stalk of one Kind of
grsss produced as the sol is c>pao of supoor lug
anoh.r variety that will take from the soil difes-
ent elements may grow betaeen the tirst kiad Wi h
out inter eripg materially wh II; Is il Is not co n
petitor for the same nutri ious particles ia as soil
We SOW t~o or three kipcs of grass seeis. N.t1rs
gives us numerous vSriees of those which arrive at
perfection, in different aitutes OF cO2nry during
each successive month from Spripg 10 A1'u an We,
ienoran' Of tle qualities OF he grasses wacl
grow spontaneously ia our co nm01 pastures; sud Ee
know bu, little of he weeds watch iure and destroy
them Some time ago, in'ce eourss OF s'eotiic
animation, twenty-five species Of grass were foun On
asnge square foot of Iieh ancient pastare IL Eaaod
Recently IN Western ; ate by meaas of the entsr-
prise and industry of lo1y specimens OF seventy
FIVE kinds Of grass we're found, and presented rs a
bouquet, at an annual Safe Fair. la tie seysre
Drought of last fail that bhghted the hopes o. the
husbandmsn tbroue the greater part of ths norm
western Stafcs when the croAsiDg OF rusei crops hai
attained lie highest point, close observer eo1ll not
fan 10 see, here and there, held ersen and luxunAnt
IN TIE midst Of surrounding desolaton Ii YOU stopped
% inquire into the csrse and asked for an e1panaiion