Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-06-14

|
Henry ii. Colt, editor of the Floyd
County Qowa) Press; passed Sunday in
Hurley visititlg With friends.
Written for the Turner County Herald
Grassss In Turner County, Dakota
OF the "three hundred thousand
more" or less souls now trooping to
this land of promise, the first question
with many is, "what pays best?" The
answer to this Query is found in part in
our head line.
Dakotaians as class are modest peo-
pie, -ety. They are not given to brag(D.
But at the risk of being called to order, !
the writer VENTURES the assertion that
Turncr county can beat the world for
the abundance and richness its native
grasses There are in the county nearly
10000 dcres Of land fthe northern tier
of townships is not fulD, nearly all of
which is naturally grass land. After
making all reasonable allowance for
unpfbductive land, and the hay and
grass consumed by the stock now here;
it is safe to assert that nerrly one half
million dollars worth yearly of this pro-
duct, in this county, takes to itself
wings and disappears in smoke and
ashes; instead Of being on "all-fours
on board of cars and steamers bound
for New York and Liverpool to feed
the hungry millions OF this and the old
world. This wicked waste must soon
come to an end, Steam and lightning
are fast coming to our help. Sheep,
cattle and swine are increasing rapidly.
The almighty dollar is busy opening up
| hundreds of happy homes, building
l school houses, churches, steam mills,
towns and cities all over the county.
Two grand trunk lines, the Northwest
ern and the Chicago, Milwaukee and st.
Paul railways, one north and sonth and
the other east and west, entirely through
the county, and others coming, speak
in thunder tones of it's marvellous re-
sources. ana this brings lis back to
grass-the starting point.
OF the wild grasses of the county,
only four of the priocipal ones call for
especial notice. These are known as
the blue-stem, the slough grass, Dakota
tred-top and the alkali-grass. These are
all old-fashioned words which every
body understands, with the Latin cuss-
words, usually found in patent office
reports, left out. They are named in
the order of their natural worth and
Importance. In speaking of them this
order will be reversed.
THE ALKALI GRASS.
This is misnomer. There is no
more alkaii III this grass than there is
in the ashes of any other vegetable, but
there is a good deal of saIt in it's com
position. Stock eat it and seem fond
of it, but only us a relish. A more ap-
propriate name, it seems to me, would
be marsh grass. 1t is only found in
small patches, few and far between, in
some parts of the county.
Ard here I would like to- explode
another humbug, which has done lis
much injustice and probably some in
jury. There is no such thing in Turner
; county as dlkaE land or tcater.
In the spring and fall, when the
ground becomes dry and hard, one will
sometimes notice small spots covered
with some mineral substance, not un.
like pesrlssh in appearance, almost as
white and delicate as hoar-frost. Hence
the name, probably. These spots are
nothing more nor less than salt-licks
r or "deer-licks if you please. BY leach
: ing and evaporation, the writer, the
first year he came to the county, obtain
! ed from small bucket-full of this sub
r stance, about a half pound Of hard
l coarse, rusty salt, resembling that from
: an old pork barrel, and in taste mucf
Like EPSON salts. Our alkali land ant
I water then have no existence except il
4 the imagination of persons outside o
e Turner county
o DAKOTA RED-TOP.
: This grass resembles its half-sister
!, the tame reG-top, only it is much larger
r This is easily accounted for by re1tlem
I bering the rich fountain from which i
i draws its support. 1t produces wei
S otter 5we. tons per acre, and when Gu
ear ), mlaafes splendid hay. There j
i eagh of it grown in this county t
d feed. sal the cattle Of the New Englan
II states.
n SLOUGH GRASS.
h This is the old-fashioned meade,
, grasf which makes the meadow hay
& Of Maine, Many ~ ton has the write
a helped handle in his early days befor
v mowers or sulky rakes were though
:. of. Its name indicates its nativity.
is ab henlc enly on our richest and low
est lands. There it makes enormor
y y crops, often, it is said, four or five tor
= to the acre, It makes very good hay
~ cut early, say about the first Of Jul
= If not thoroughly made before stackin
:, - it becomes dusty by fermentation an
- thus loses much. Of its value. Ii le
:, standing too long lit becomes tough an
- y woody. II left till frosted, it is on
- "fit to be cast into the open." The
. are "millions in it," and of it in Turn
= county il the stock was only here
lie consume and carry it to the market,
u BLUE STEM.
pl, This is the boss grass of the count
q. and is probably the most nutritious
a grasses eaten by the large boss famil
e1 Althoug one Of our native grasse
T. scarcely any of it was to be seen,
ls- these. parts Spring Valley ten yea
ne ago. 1t don't seem to take kindly
" the wild. careless WAYS of its natl