Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1857-10-03
Hungarian Grass, or the Hay Crop
of the Great West.

Last Spring wrote an article for the
Iowa FARMER concerning this new pro-
duction Of the west. This article, to-
gether with the comments and endorse
mcnt Of the 'Farmer" was republished
in the n. Y. Iribuue and several other
papers. The statements there made in
regard to the valuable qualities Of this
production as q hay crop, attracted so
much attention, that letters of inquiry
poured In upon me from all parts of the
Union, asking additional information,
and making application for some Of the
seed.
- 1t is the design Of this article to graft
fly the spirit Of inquiry as far as possible,
and aid in the introduction Of an article
which must become one Of our staple
productions. We have now had the ex-
pericncc Of another season on u large
scale, and we can now speak with conf
dencc; there can be no longer doubt
about its superiority rs 4 lag crop over
every thing ever tried upon the western
prairies.
In the spring Of 1858, as nearly as
can ascertain, Mr.. Gleason brought a
small quantity of this grass seed with
him from Illinois. lie had procured a
handful OF it the spring before from a
Hungarian exile who was passing
through the country. What became Of
the exile or the balance of his seed, |
cannot learn ner yet the name Of one
who has conferred such favor upon
the people Of the great west. His name
should be written in letters Of gold: for
that little handful of secdi destined to
change he agricultural character Of a
dozen States, and give us a product
which will stand second only to the corn
crop upon the rich prairies Of the adj
vancing west. This poor exile, and
Mr.. Gleason with his handful Of seed,
have doEc more to promote the agricul
tural interests Of these prairie states
than the government has, with all It's
seeds, in the last ten years. They have
done so, because they have given us an
article completely adapted to our soil
and climate, and one which we needed
above all others. This may sound like
enthusiasm but it is a sober reality
We have now, in this region, the best
hay c0,niry that I crer saw-mti
this season and the last it was the aro1si.
The common grasses are a total failure;
yet We have hay Of the best quality in
such overlooking abundance, that we
can feed sCren months, and still have
hay to sell; and this hay was grown upon
the high, dry prairies, at the rate Of
three and four tens to the acre.
Mr.. Gleason sowed his handful Of
seed in Illinois, and the next season
brought the product to Monroe Co. =,
Iowa, where he sowed again. 1t may
be well to observe that he had difficulty
III procuring piece Of ground, as far
mers were afraid it might somehow ruin
their land. The next season, which
was 1881, he distributed among such Of
his neighbors as had overcome their
fears. This year it began to attract
some attention in the vicinity, and its
popularity has increased as fast as the
little handful Of seed has multiplied it.
self. Those who have seen it every
year since the first was sown, are now
better pleased than ever-this years.
crop exceeding all that went before it
Within the little circle of its present
production, it's popularity is mboundcd,
In my article last spring it was stated
that Mr.. Bates was the first to intro
ducc it; but closer investigation traces
it beyond him to Mr.. Gleason.
[ have thought best to secure these
facts while they were within reach; be-
cause a great effect is destined to flow
from this small beginning, and when the
little stream becomes great river, the
world will wish to know in what scc]ul-
ed fastncss the head spring is situated.
THIS Grass IS crap ,chich hos
mever .fniIed. Wet or dry-cold Or h. t
1t has been a good heavy crop; even
last season, when that sturdy giant Of
the west-the corn-droped his strong
arms, ard rolled up his green banners
in the dry hot blasts, his more hum
bic ncighbor-the Hungarian grass
spread its rich green mantle over the
parched soil, and shot up its luxuliant
blades, and waved its golden heads
triumphantly, in spite Of dry winds
and rainlcss skies. In point Of GER
tainty we have no crop which COM
pares to it; it seems to be exactly adapt
ed to'our loose, deep, prairie soils, and
is, perhaps, a better crop i'll Iowa than
in its native soil in the country of the
Maygars. The secret of its success lies
in It's strong vitality, stout roots and
adaptation to a dry soil. The roots Of
our common domestic grasses are too
short and slender to reach below the in
fucnce of our dry hot summers, while
this production, from its greater vigor,
and larger roots, can pierce below the
reach Of drought, and draw up the
treasures Of fertility which lie beneath.
The only objection which can be urg-
cd against it, as a hay crop, is that it
must be put in every year; bat the i'm
mense yield, certainty and nutritive