Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-05-10
The GRASS CROP.
ITS Great value Not Generally Appreci-
ated by Farmers

poItlOuS VI tub OUlltu DtdttS Judb lbS
value is not appreciated. 1t is the most
valuable crop raised in the country,
and the one on which the smallest
amount of labor and money is expend-
ed Still, it receives very little atten-
ton. Scarcely an agricultural society
in the country offers premium for
the most productive pasture or the
finest sample of hay. Every season
scores of farmers "rush into print"
with accounts of their success in rails
ing large crops of potatoes, corn and
small grains. But no farmer brags
about a pasture which furnishes food
during the grazing season for as many
head OF cattle as it contains acres. The
dairy farmers of Scotland do this, and
some of them are not satisfied if they
do not raise grass enough on single
acre TO feed a COW during the entire
year. That. four tons of hay can be
produced on an acre of land has been
shown in England; that it is as easy
to produce four tons of hay as one hun
dred bushels of shelled corn is capable
OF demonstration in many parts of this
country.
Inventive talent and business enter
prise have done much in furnishing
machines and implements for cutting,
curing and handling grass for the
purpose of making hay. There has
been much less thinking and expert
menting with view of producing
large crops of grass to harvest. Grass
receives less attention at farmers in
stitutcs than any crop generally raised
on farms, though it may be worth
more than all of them. Dairymen pay
more attention to grass than stock
raisers and generally farmers do, be-
cause they have better appreciation
of its value. Milk-producers have
learned the value of good pastures.
They have also learned the worth of
hay. They know that grass is not
only the cheapest but the best sub
stance that can be used for the pro-
duction of milk. During last season,
when the long protracted drought
prevented the usual growth of grass,
they appreciated its value better than
ever before Many of them have care
fully studied the comparative value of
the different grasses for grazing pur-
poses and for making hay, and
have learned which varieties are
best adapted to different kinds of soil.
Stock-raisers would find it to their
advantage to study the grasses as care
fully as the most intelligent dairymen
have. Grass is the cheapest if not the
best ilesh-producer Green grass fur
nishes the entire support of nearly all
farm animals during six months of the
twelve, and the months they are in the
pasture are those in which they gain
the most rapidly. Dried grass fur
nishes more than half their support
during tho other six months Of the
year. 1t is entirely practical to raise
cattle, sheep and horses from weaving
time till maturity on grass alone.
Darying has never been found profit
able in any part of the world where
grass is not abundant and of good
quality. What is true of the produc-
ton of milk is also true Of the
production of wool and beef. A poor
country for grass is a very poor coun-
try for the dairyman, the wool-grower
and the beef-producer. 1t isa coun-
try where a large amount of labor is
required to produce very little milk,
wool or meat. and all of them are like
ly to be of exceedingly poor quality.
Much care is given to crops that are
not naturally adapted to the soil and
climate OF the region where they are
planted. Spontaneous productions, the
natural results of the soil and climate,
however. are likely to receive very lit
tie attention. 1t is expected that they
will produce far crops if no care is
given them, Such is the case with
grass in the prairie regions of the
West 1t was found growing luxur-
iantly in wild state, and all it APP
parently wanted was ito be let alone. "
Uncared for, and even abused, it con-
tinues to grow and to afford food for
the many animals that trampled it
down. In most cases it continued to
flourish, till, like the buffalo that fed
upon it, it "was killed off" No one
ever thought of preserving the rich
prairie grasses, or the buffaloes, till
they were exterminated. Much less
did they think of trying to improve
them. 1t is much easier to increase
the yield and improve the quality OF
the native products of the soil in any
locality than of those that are not in.
digenous. Still, the former receive
much attention and the latter very lit
tie. More books have been written in
this country on raising sorghum than
on our native grasses, and they have
had a much greater sale.
Grass is the foundation of Northern
agriculture, as it is of our dairying,
wool-growing and stock. raising inter-
ests. Grass is the great resting crop
Its judicious production improves the
soil, which most other crops rob of its
fertility. 1t takes nutriment from the
floating air and the running water, and
adds ii to the soil. 1t furnishes food
not only to animals, but to other plants
which constitute the vegetable diet OF
human beings. 1t protects the soil
from the action of rain. 1t shades it
from the burning rays of the sun. and
prevents the finer and lighter portions
of it from beng blown away. Unlike
most crops, it requires no cultivation.
Like an infant asleep, it does best when
left undisturbed. A plant possessing
so many virtues and so free from fail
ings is deserving of much more care