The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-04-25
SOUTHERN HOME A>u FARM.
Disnppearnncs Of Native GrnsSr, nnd ihe
ChttIc Trade,

Nhthe Irnde,
In the early history of the states nd,
%jacent 10 the great lakes, the land, both
prairie and woodland, produced an
abundance Of wild, nutritious berbagc,
With the settlement OF the country these
grasses gradually failed, the result Of
close cropping, and finally disappeared
entirely, The same thing Is noticed now
in the states west Of Us, From Iowa,
Kansas and Nebraska, where the land IL
rapidly being taken up, the wild grasses
are giving out, Like the bison and the
Indian, The indigenous heritage Of the
plains and prairies does not take kindly
10 civilization; 1t dwar's and dwindles
under the pressure OF close contact with
TAI and his methods Of farming. Even
where the land is not disturbed by the
pillow, but IL grazed through Il few seasons,
the places that knew the native grasses
know them no more.
The habits and characteristics of these
grasses are such that they are not adapt,
ed 10 permanent pasturage, hence the
%"cattlo men" seek newer districts and
ranges for their herds, But this policy
can not always prevail, for the time will
come when the " ranges" OF the newer
states and territories will have become
circumscribed, and there will be no new
fields to occupy. That time is doubtless
somewhat remote, but it may come sooner
than most Of us imagine. A letter In Il
recent number Of the Marx Lane FIX
press, written by Mr.. W. II, Sotham,
indicates how rapidly the " ranges" in
Kansas are being abandoned for sparser-
settled regions. The great cattle men
there and elsewhere are moving on with
their herds TO greener fields and pastures
new. Our own correspondence from
various sections indicates the same state
Of things Az long N cattle are
subsisted alone on prairie grass,
"ranges," large tracts Of land, are, Of
course, r necessity Of the business,
and these can be found in Colorado,
Wyoming, etc, for some time TO come.
But this vast interest must, pcrfOrce, in
time undergo transition, and the par.
ticular class OF cattle which ut present
constitutes 30 large a factor Of the live
stock trade will be no longer raised in
such vast numbers as now characterizrs
the business, and the cattle kings"
who rear these immtnse herds on vast
ranges to supply feeders and farmers will
find their business Improbable. The
change may not be rapid but it il
inevitable, and will necessarily be
accelerated IA time rolls on.
The problem is presented, how TO
make up the deficiency which will thus
be produced. 1t is not difficult 10 solve,
provided the farmers and st%ock-grower-
take time by the ioreIock and, by begin.
ming in time, provide pasturage which
will be permanent. IL is notclaimed that
this method will produce cattle ~ cheapIy
m they are raised under the present
system but if that system is doomed by
the operations OF an ineXorable
law TO pass away, it is but
the part of prudence to make a
virtue OF necessity and prepare for the
change. 1t is gratifying to know that,
10 some extent, the improvement OF
native cattle Of which the western herds
are made up, il by infusiOns of the blood
% improved breeds. But this il not the
greatest factor in the problem, although
"A very important one, AZ the demand ior
meat must 90 on and Il better quality
required than has hitherto suniced The
farmers OF the country especially ia the
newer portions, must alternate grass with
grain-growing, and s4pck-raising enter
more generally into their business than
it now does. Grass and grain will main
tain the fertility of the coil while con
slant tillage will i%mpoverish it. The
trite adsge, no grass, no cattle; no cat.
tie, no manure no manure, no crops"
Is nugget Of agricultural wisdom con
tributed long ago by the experience
of the Belgians, and c%orr5borated
by that OF every country where
man tilIs the soil. Grass furnishes
the key to the problem, and there il
none better, If IN good, for this purpose
as Kentucky bluegrass. It's superior
as a pasture grass IL universally
admitted, and although it is sometimes
difficult to obtain a good "catcn," re-
sowings under suitable conditions
will reward the persistent farmer with
When once well set its value
hardly be estimated, Starting
early in the spring and growing luxur.
when pastured, with a thick, mat
like burden OF radical leaves or blades,
it makes a second growth in September
which continues until the ground
often growing in a favorable
all winter. This subject is one
which many of our farming friends--
hose Of the newer portions of our
states especially, will do well to
give more than n passing thought.--
I Western Rural.