Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-02-05

l
abouts think Of it 2:
The subject for discussion, 1.-THE
adaptability Of Hungarian Grass for our
prairies," was discussed by Messrs.
Timothy Davis, Judge King. Mark Mil
Ter, Bcebee, Chamberlain, LaDgworthy
asd the President.
Mr.. Davis said that be had had some
experience in the cultivation Of Hun
gsrian Grass, and had como to the con-
clusion that it was . perfect humbng
that horses would not eat it when cured;
that, although they seemed TO like the
seed, still it was very injurious to them
| if fed constantly that it would not
compare with Timothy or CIovcr-he
would sooner feed his cattle and horses
with barley stsw, it was coarse, harsh,
full of woody fibre, and whether cured
in the milk, or when more fully ripe, still
vas decidedly opposed to It.
Judge King stated that it was .
genus Of grass of the fox-tail kind. The
Hungarian is grass feeder, and to raise
it successfully, the ground requires ma
nuring every year-without such annual
dressir Q the land would soon become i'm
pro, sris he'd. Although an annual like
buc wheat, it is hard to get clear OF
once il the growth-it will bother the
farmer for years. Ito worst feature is,
however, its powerful diuresic quality.
A constant feeding Of the hay will create
disease, the tendency Of which is
weakness in tie region Of the kidneys. If
fed to .tock, it should be given alternate
ly, with Timothy, Clover or wild hay.
The same quantity Of ground, either in
oats or timot by, is more valuable than
hungarian; besides the former crops do
not rot the soil. l consider the cultlva-
ton Of Hungarian Grass 10 Iowa where
Timothy and Glover grow 90 fnely) an
unmitigoted Aumbug.
Mr.. Beebee tt ought it . perfect weed,
if once sown it was almost impossible to
eradicate it (; had some experience in its
cultivation, and gave it up rs worthless
thought it possibly might do in places
where other crops could not be grown
to satisfaction, as the crop is heavy and
would yield in dry seasons, when clover
and timothy would fail, but still could
not even then recommend it.
Mr.. Hetherington said he had sowed
l-2 acres of it late in the season, from
the middle to the end Of June. The seas
on was dry and it did not come up till
the LIST Of August; found it almost an
interminable job to get it cured. Cows
would eat it, horses would not touch it
whether that was owing to the state in
which it was cut, or the nature Of the
grass, could not tell.
Mr.. Mark Miller stated that while
travelling in Jefferson county aud other
neighborlng counties, he found it grown
quite extensively by the farmers mos,
Of them seemed to be pleased with it.
He had fed his horses several times,
while travelling, with it; found his
horses and all others in the State eat
only the heads Of the grass !; they would
net touch the hay. Whether the,
would eat it in the bloom he did not
know. Iic stated that it was tough,
hard to mastcate, injurious TO the or
gaus Of horse, and possessed with
powerful diuretic properties still it was
valuable for its seed, beirg full Of oily
properties, and would produce heavy
crops would be relished by cattle, but
would still prefer one ton OF timothy to
three Of Hungarian.
Introduced the seed 10 this section Of the
country, it coming to him under high
recommendations from the East; had
consulted farmers who bad raised the
crop, and who spoke highly OF it; also
from most of the agricultural papers the
opinion seemed TO be highly in its taver.
The idea of its being fox-tail, he consid-
cred ridiculous thought if cured at
proper time would make excellent hay.
Although he did not suppose it could
supcrccde clover and timothy, but would
be a good and sure crop when they
failed.
Mr.. Hc.herington stated that tho OBJ
lection raised to its being great i'm
povcrsher of the soil, and its diuretic
properties could hardly be applicable, as
he believed that the grass could be
grown on our rich prairie soil for ten
years in succession, and still grow q
good crop Of corn the next year
without iujuring tie soil, and IS regards
its dnretic properties, that could be
avoided by change OF fodder.
Mr.. Luclus II. Langworthy considered
Hungarian Grass ought to be classed
with shanghai chickens, Morus- Multi
cauh's and other special humbugs he
bleved in progressive farming, but be
thought the culture Of Hungarian was
retrogressive; was of the opinion that
our farmers ought to awaken to the
value Of growing root crops ~ fodder
had experimental himself in feeding
turLips and carrots to cattle with un-
qualified success +; thought that a. soon
as the English system Of raising root
crops in this section Of country 10 gener-
ally adopted, our cattle and horses will
be among the first in the world.
This idea was seconded by Judge
King, who believed that raising carrots
for cattle aud horses, would be most
valuable crop. They grow to = very
large size in this country, and horses are
very fond Of them keeps them in good
coalition, makes the coat OF the animal
very sleek and oily, and is not as heating
to the stomach OF the animal as corn.
Mr.. Timothy Davis moved that, in the
opiuion OF this club, the cultivation OF
hungarian Grass ia an iniudicions cron