Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-02-18
adaptation to climatic conditions.
There i little louhf that ayary soc

| adaptation to climatic conditions
There is little doubt that every see
ton Of the country contains native
| grasses which would meet the require
ments of agriculture in that section.
The grasses which would be suitable
| for Montana and Dakota would not.
| perhaps, be suitable for Texas and
| Arizona. There is here wide field
| for investigation and experiment
/ Some grasses which have recently
been brought to notice give promise
OF great utility. Among these we
may mention Johnson grass (Sor-
! ghum halipense), Texas blue grass
| (Poa arachnifera). some species Of au-
| dopogon or blue joint, an agropyrum
! prevailing on the plains. and BY stock
men called blue stem several species
of panicum, Of wild rye and Of bunch
! grasses.
But all Investigations and expert
ments require time, expense. and
skill, which ordinary farmers cannot
afford to bestow Here undoubtedly
is legitimate and useful opportunity
for the aid Of the government, an oppor-
tunity for widespreading benefit to be
conferred which has received little or no
recognition. Were there but two or
three properly conducted grass expe-
riment stations. say one in the north
ern, one in the central, and one in
the southern portions of the great
grazing region. the question of suita-
bic grasses for cultivation could be
solved, not In one or two wears. per
haps not in five or ten. for many new
kinds would need to be placed under
trial on different soils and indifferent
conditions of humidity. These TRIALS
should be made on a sufficiently large
scale, five to ten acres of each for per
haps twenty kinds, and these should
be tested for their feeding and nutri-
tive qualities, their productiveness and
hardness. 4 few years of faithful cx-
pertinent in this direction could not
fail 10 secure vast amount Of Nalua-
BILE information. and in that time the
promising and successful kinds could
be ditfused with little or no cost
TO the agrculturists and stockras-
ers
These experiment stations should he
under the direction of the department
Of agriculture, and in the care Of in
telligent. practical agriculturists, with
the aid of proper scientists, and should
be equipped so as to make thorough
trial OF the different grasses aud for
age plants brought under notice. To
aid in this work an intelligent and
thorough exploration Of the native
grasses Of each section should be
made, with observations in the field
as 10 those most promising for agri-
culture, and such species should be
submitted to trial in the experiment
stations. At the same time any pro-
missing foreign species should also he
tried.
The agricultural colleges of the Va
rious states can do something in this
work but they have such multiplicity
Of other interests 10 care for that thew
cannot give this subject the attention il
requires Il would be much better
to concentrate in few special Sta
tons the efforts of a well equipped
corps of experlmenterS having this
work alone to attend to The import
anee Of the work fully justities IL being
made the subject Of special iu'e>ti-a-
ton, and these central stations could
cooperate with and assist the state in
stitution>