The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-11-15
Wednesday, November Is.
NATURAL SELECTION IN
THE MEADO

Mr.. Chas. Wentworth Dixie. the
author Of Greater Britain. notes the
fact tha. since the British occupation
Of the last Indies the English flies
have driven out the aboriginal species
and the English meadow grasses have
spontaneously replaced the native herb
age i'm the soil of New Zealand, just
n the Saxon race has subdaed the ma
tive ISLANDERS. This seems 10 be the
law throughout all the kingdoms Of ma
ture The harder, more adaptable
moro enduring kinds bold the ground
against the inferior. The species that
have been tried and trinmphed the
most march together in the contest of
The world This fact calls up the re-
mark Of Wellington, when the British
regulars and German volunteers stood
up against the veteran corps Of Napo-
leon 1T Waterloo This il hard pound
ing, gentlemen, but W. shall pound the
longest Darwins law Of natural selec-
ton may bc regarded rs only scien-
tiiic enunciation Of tho old scriptural
dictnm THE righteous shall inherit
the earth"
An interesting example Of the opera
ton Of this law is observable in tho
battle Of the grasses that has been IN
progress in our fields ever since the
civilized occupation Of the country.
Too wet to suit the boosted alfalfa If
California, this country has been re
garded a. n natural home for the timo-
thy or herds-gras= Ii has been Off
cially claimed. not without warrant,
that our alluvions will produce four or
five tons of this hay TO the acre per
annum Consequently II has beeu the
iavorite for seeding with hay growers
The seed used, however. was mixed
with the usual tarcs that mingle with
II cl~eW here, and the grass bias had a
hand to hnnd fight with II number Of
intcrlopcrs in order 10 maintain It's right
If possession in the soil First there
were the indigenous ferns and piantain.
and the ancient shoep-sorrel said 10
have been sown by the shepherds of
the Hudson Bay company. Then The
regions of the Licking aud Salt River
sent their contribution Of Kentucky
blue gras>. whose progress for
awhile gave decidedly cornlean
aspect TO many Of the valley fields,
About tho same time New York became
represented by her landehon. aud our
fields in the spring. with their mill ions
Of bright yellow spaugles, reminded one
of tho moads Of the tennessee or the
beautiful Mohawk vale. Yet al |
these have disappeared The tall timo.
thy has shown. as regards these tres
passcrs from other cllnlos. that il was
more to the manor born" Bat At last
that stately grass has moro than me, its
match IN the humble creeping white
clover, (trlfoilam repe7s, the Shamrock
Of The Emerald Isle. This white
clover Is almost worthless for hsv. as it
- too light lifting from tho ground
under the blade of the mower like a
thin fleece Of green wool and is also
very difficult TO cure. often heating and
molding after il is baled. 10 the Diet
riment Of the more excellent timothy
with which it Is mingled. IL makes.
however. the finest pasturage, giving
no matter how closely cropped. an ever
fresh aud luxuriant carpet OF green
under the cattle's feet nearly the
year round Fields that Al first are
nearly pure timothy. If pas,uretl stead .
lily, in few years generally show only
this -texturcd turf of treiuil. aud
are valueless tnr hay crops, unless
broken up and re seedssl after being
cultivated long enough TO kill cut the
clover. Wherever oar lands. whether
hill az plain, become depastared. We
mote this lnaomi,able little sgcn, of
civilization crowding is WAY amids,
the hrambles and bushes steadily gain
Ing groand, aud promising in time u
furnish range ior "she cattle upon a
Thousand hills" al along the rugged
highlands If the Sound.