Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-07-01


ed up his green banners in the dry hot
blasts, his more humble neiehbor-the
Hungarian grass-spread its rich green
mantle over The parched soil, and shot up
its luxuriant blades, and waved its golden
heads triumphantly, in spite OF dry winds
and rainless skies. In point OF certainly
we have no crop which compares to it; 1t
seems to be exactly adapted to our loose,
deep, prairie soils, and is perhaps, bet
ter crop in Iowa than in It's native soil in
the country Of the Magyars. The secret
of its success lies in its strong vitality,
stout roots and adaptation to dry soil.
The roots of our common domestic grass.
es are too short and slender to reach be-
low the influence of our dry, hot summers,
while this production, from its great vig-
or and large roots, can pierce below the
reach of draught, and draw up the treas.
ures of fertility which lie beneath.
The only objection which can be urged
against it, as hay crop, is, that it must
be put in every year; but the immense
yeild certainly, and nulritive qualities,
more than compensate for this dlsadvan-
tage; it is not at all likely that we will
soon find perennial grass which will
at all compare with it in these particu lars
In appearance, the Hungarian Grass
resembles mileh; and it no doubt belongs
to the same family; but it is much more
productive F; it affords better provender,
and the seed is more oily and nutricious.
AS hay i. is superior 10 Timothy, that
old and substantial favorite with every far
mer.-Horses changed from timothy and
corn to Hungarian, begin TO thrive, on
half the usual allowance of corn, and put
on that fine glossy coat so much admired
by stock growers.
1t is not the hay alone which gives val
ue TO this crop; 1t produces seed at the
rate of twenty or thirty bushels 10 the acre
which in nu,ritive qualities is much supe.
rior to Oats; it is heavier, and contains q
large amount of oil. In truth, the crop is
better than crop Of oats and timothy pu
together.
As an evidence of the popularity of thi
crop 1t may be mentioned that the pric,
of seed has steady advanced for the las
three years.
In the spring of 1866 it could not bt
sold at any price, except by the quart oI
gallon; next season the price was So so
and last season it started at the same
. price, but soon reached three dollars
then four, and next five, with the supply
exhausted, although there was no demand
for it outside the circle of its growth.
CULTIvATIoN.-This seed should b
sown from the middle to the last of May
on clean ground, plowed, then narrowed
before and after sowing, and then roll j
, practicable.
!, The usual quantity of seed is bushe
TO three acres but where the seed is tn
= main object, it may be thinner, and fo
hay only-thicker.
Any ground fit for oats or corn wi
{ answer for this crop-but the clearer III
ground the better.
; The rule is to cut il when most Of tn
stalks and blades turn yellow, and tn
: mass of seed is nearly perfect This sc
y y cures both hay and seed.
= = Cut, cure, and pu, up like timothy O
= it may be Graded and put into sheaves
q desired. 1t comes in just after oats hal
0 vest.
When cut the stubble does not die as
general thing, especially if cut as earl
as it will bear; but it sends up new shoe
u which will make half crop, or it may b
II used as fall pasture.