The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-02
THE PRESS.
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Hungarian Grass.

Hungarian Grass.
We have several times in previous wears Ia
ken occasion to recommend this grass, or mill
ct, as an excellent crop for supplying the de-
ficiences of the moving field. With the pres
ent prospect of a good growth of grass, there
will be less need of looking about for substi-
tutes, but even now severe drouth may
make some such resort indispensable. As the
young plant is tender and easily killed by
frost, it is we'll to defer the sowing until about
the middle of June-and one of the advan-
tages of such late seed time is, that where a
crop in some field has failed to grow, the pre-
vious preparation may thus be turned to a
profitable account. Beside its value as forage
crop, it takes the place of summer fallow--
or green fallow, as it is called abroad. 1t eff
fectually smothers weeds, thistles and witch
grass; and in the middle states the wheat
crop follows it as successfully as when the
earth has had summers rest.
On rich soils heavy border can be cut.
sometimes on the bottom lands of the south
west, amounting to six tons 10 the the acre.
From two to four tons ought to be cut on our
best farms. 1t is thought by some cultivators
of this grass, that it should be cured in the
cock, as is the practice with clover. Half a
bushel Of seed is the usual allowance for an
acre for the sake however of the increased
fineness of the hay, we recommend an addi-
tional peck. After the seed has been sown,
the land should be rolled to hasten the ger
mnation of the seed, and to leave the soil in
good condition for securing the crop.
1t IS not probable that farmers generally
could make field crop of this grass the pres
emit season it would be well however for all
of them to SOW small amount in the garden
or elsewhere, thus becoming acquainted with
all its qualities and requirements, and raising
seed enough for next years use. We append
reports taken from the Country Gentleman
of experiments with Hungarian grass.
j. 81. S., Union City, Penn, gives his ex-
periences as follows: 'Four years ago sowed
on May 23d, on Fall-powed ground replowed
in the Spring, at the rate OF one bushel per
acre, about four acres of Hungarian. In four
days the blades were to be seen above ground,
and continued growing very last. When /
cut it large portion was four feet high, and
yielded from three and half to four tons per
acre. i cut it rather late-it should be cut
soon after the butt of the stock turns yellow
When cut and cured properly it is worth more
per ton to feed than timothy. weighed ore
load OF it, and kept track of the number of
days feeding it; led only IA pounds per day
per head, while of timothy 1 fed nearly
double. In Hungarian hay the large heads so
'ull OF seeds are as good as little grain along
nth other feed, but was inclined to the be-
lief that it acted too much as a diuretic.
tried it the following year, with less good luck
as well as care. did not SOW until goth of
June, on good ground, having plowed it but
once, and, of course, not so good seed bed.
although the ground was richer. But for some
reason realized only about two-thirds
crop; but as cut it while it was yet in the
milk, in the most advanced patches some of
it was not so forward. But, to say the least.
the last made as fine hay as cattle could wish |:
they all did nicely on it. am of opinion a
better favored quality of butter can be made
from this Hungarian than from timothy.
shall try it again this year, hut will not sow
later than the LIST of June, and from what ex-
perience have had with it will spare no pains
in preparing the ground. Some of nv ground
was plowed last Fall what was not, 1 will
plow soon, and then again before planting"
We sowed broadcast last, year ~ acres for hay
between the 10th and 9th of June. 1t must
be sown after all danger of frost, as it will kill
it, and it must mature before the fall frosts.
It will mature for hay in 60 days. When the
seed is in milk cut it for hay, and then it
makes the best hay we ever fed. It is not
safe to feed 1t If the seed gets ripe. We got
SO loads of hay. although the season was yery
dry and we think shrunk the yield one.third.
We sow one bushel to the acre on rich bottom
land. We shall commence tomorrow the
sowing OF As acres, and will get it all in dur
Ing the month, and will run it along so as not
to have it all mature at once. We left about
two acres for seed, and got 35 bushels which
is short yield. Our horses will leave the
best timothy and take the Hungarian grass
In preference. 1t is full ofjuice when we cut
1t, and consequently retains more, and is
more like green feed in winter than any othsr
hay, and is much like cornstalks In that re-
spect. On good land in favorable seasons, it
will yield from three to four tons per acre.
and we think the cheapest hay raised, not
withstanding it has to be raised every season,
The failure of old meadows drove us into its
use, and We find it of much value.
What did and what got are as follows:
My soil was dry, gravelly loan, the field
containing 1886 acres. In 1875 I had cut on
this field 5 loads OF hay; to be sure the sea-
son was excessively dry, but the land was
poor and the grass pretty well run out, Ear.
ly in May last, / plowed it thoroughly and
rather deeper than ever it had been plowed
before; thence to the 9th of June whenever
weed appeared it was narrowed. There had
been considerable sorrel and the weed COM
monty known here as "ive finger" in fact
these had taken almost entire possession of
the ground. On June 9th I sowed 1443
acres of the field with Hungarian, sowing a
bushel to the acre broadcast by hand, and at
the same time applied with a broadcasting
machine 800 pounds of Listers ground bone
to the acre and narrowed all in together with
a Thomas harrow. The bone cost me S.. so
per acre on the ground. The rest of the
field was put in with other crops.
Again the season was exceedingly dry, but
one good rain falling from the time the seed
was sown until it was cut, and only two
other slight rains. We finished taking it in
on August 18th. and had t1enty-six loads of
fine hay-not less than 2S tons-off 15I
acres, against 6 tons off the whole 20 acres
the year before. The Hungarian was fine in
appearance, quite equal to any hay 1 had,
and the experience of the winter is that ali
stock--horses, cows sheep and calves-eat is
as readily, and have done as well on it as
any fodder we have. The ground was lett
in splendid condition, clean and mellow, and
in September was seeded to wheat with a
drill in about 300 pounds of ground bone per
acre.
We commenced cutting the grass in nine
weeks from the day it was sown. In an
ordinary season it should not stand longer
than so to SO days. A wooden revolving
rake should be used in raking it, the wire
teeth Of the wheel-rake tearing many of the
stools out by the roots on mellow ground.
Many advise sowing half bus6el of seed,
or even less, to the acre. l am satisfied that
one bushel is none too much, the finer
growth resulting from thick seeding making
the better hay.
In curing it, tedder which had been
standing in the barn unpacked, just as it
came from the factory, was put to use, and
my farm manager was of opinion that it
''paid for itself' in this crop alone. Pre-
viously be had not thought much of it.
The profit of this crop should be especially
noted. The hay of 1875 was not worth over
30 per acre; of 1876, not less than $2S, the
difference covering all expenses of seed,
fertilizers and labor, and leaving margin of
at least $S per acre. Besides, the land was
perfectly ceaned-no fallow could have done
it better-and is now seeded with wheat,
and on that orchard grass and clover are
GOV