Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-16
Sowing GrasS.--ImpOrtance Of lis Gull
tUre.

Nlne-tenthS of the grass seed sown IN
the west is sOwn with the crop OF grain.
Wnen this is done with winter wheat, the
W eStel1l RurGL does not consider the prac-
ice Objectionable, since the crop comes
OH so early IN the season that the grass
gets good toOthOld before the droughts
OF summer are intense. Spring wheat is
the next least detrimental crop upon
Wnlch 70 SOW the seed; barley and oats
are the worst, for the reason that these
cereals not only ripen later in the season,
but shade the soil more densely than
wheat.
The last three seasons have not been es-
peclally adapted to the well-being of
young grass, on account of the extreme
droughts and hard freezing of winter.
The last winter, however, has been, III the
mann, favorable to grass as well as grain,
ana the probability is that the season of
1874 will be favorable for grass, for the
reason that it is not probable that we
shall nave another season of drought fol-
loving the three preceding ones. The
principal reason, however, is that grain
will this year be sown early, for, as we go
to press, the bulk of farmers, even some
distance north of Chicago, have completed
the sowing of wheat. As a natural con-
sequence the harvest will be early, thereby
giving the young grass time TO spread and
become well rooted before the usual
August drought comes on.
In this view of the case it will be sound
policy for the farmer contemplating seed
ing meadow to do SO upon his wheat,
especially whe clover forms the whole or
an integral part of the grasses sOwn, since
tall-sOwn clover is apt to kill the first sea
son. The sooner this is done the better;
for, if sown later, dry weather may ensue
and prevent good catch, as it is called.
1t may not be out of place to reiterate
what has been so often Insisted upon by
the Western RurG}, that grass, and we in
clude clover, although it is a legume
and not grass, as by association tits con
s1dered, is not regarded at its true value
IN the West. Nevertheless, grass makes
beet and pork. This makes manure, and
manure makes large crops Of grain, es-
pecially the important one, corn. Besides
this, when turned under, it is in itself
equal to good coat Of manure, and costs
nothing for hauling and spreading, that
bug-bear to Western farmers.
The grass family, which comprises
about 1900 species, includes not only
what is usually termed by this name, as
oAhAoo'y - VIZ ClI<'I0 u, ICO-GOp, DIuC, d1Ii OtnCi
pasture grasses, but also the cereals, as
wheat, Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, rice,
etc. It's annual value in the United States
has been estimated at 81, 800, 100000. The
hay crop is of far more value than any
one of the cereals, and if the value of the
pasturage is included, its value, as hereto
fore stated, is of the first magnitude.
Although nature clothes the soil Gf fertile)
all over the earth naturally with grasses,
the temperate zones are their especial
homes; for it is here only that they spread
and form thick mat Of rich, succulent
verdure, upon which some variety or
other of animals may pasture for seven or
eight months Of the year Of late years
the subject has often been discussed,
Have we enough varieties Of cultivated
grasses? We think the true question for
consideration to be, Do we use sufficiently
those we have? We have often said we
do not, and hope that the ventilation of
this subject will not rest until the maxi
mum is reached in the cultivation of grass
on every farm. Grass always makes rich
farmers, for the simple reason that the
bulk of it must be fed at hOme.-WeSte
RoJTGL