Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-06-21
GROWTH OF GRASSES.
Useful Experiments Conducted In Abel
deenshire, Scotland.

i - u
Useful Experiments Conducted In AbeF.
deenshire, Scotland.
Little has been done to ascertain the
value and peculiarities of the grasses.
In order to test the growth of the usual
agricultural grasses, sowed plats two
feet square, May 5. 1886. All came up
from May % to %. A competition for
length ensued uutil June %, when
they commenced to form foundations
of plants, or what is known as .'stock-
ing" in oats, there not being much
progression in the leaves until the
second week of July, when the leaves
again commenced to grow vigorously.
The value of the study of geological
relationship in grass culture now be-
came evident. Those that had landed
on soil suited for them now began to
outstrip those that the soil did not suit.
Flower stalks of golden oat-grass,
wood-meadow, Italian rye, and form,
appeared by July %. They continued
to grow the first season until October
9, after which there was not much
progress. Leaves came out early in
1887. In the end of May flowers ap-
peared on vernal grass; in early June,
on Italian rye, crested-dog stall,
smooth meadow, wood meadow, and
golden oat-grass. A week later on
ned, hard, and sleeps fescue. About
June 20, the tall fibrous-rooted oat-
like grass, a few stems of rough mead
ow grass, lowered; early in July,
cock's-foot, timothy, meadow, fescue,
and rye grass; middle of July, form
grass, while reed canary grass has not
reached the Towering stage. One val
liable part of the experiments is that it
refutes some misconceptions as to
maturing of the grasses. In case of
crested dog's-tail, it dispels the notion
that it does not come to maturity for a
season or two. 1t was always as Wig
orous as any of them.
AS points showing the value of geo.
logical relationship, smooth meadow
far outstripped rough meadow grass.
The latter grows best on rich loan, or
clay soil; the former on sandy. Tim
othy far out-stripped meadow fox-tail,
which grows best on rich loan or clay
soil. Cock 's-foot, which is so much
recommended, grew tough and harsh.
1t is absurd and useless to weigh and
calculate the relative value by weight
of produce and chemical analysis when
all are ON one soil beside each other.
AS previously shown, those which the
soil suits have the advantage. Then
in the case of dog's-tail, its use is as
pasture. 1t continues to throw up
leaves the whole season. 1t was of
scientific interest to note how the
fbrous-rooted grasses differed in form
of growth from creeping-rooted ones.
The experiments were conducted in
Aberdeenshire, Scotland, at Hillock,
Terpersie, by Afford, nearly nine hum
feet above sea-level, but so sheltered
dred that in the open fields a lower level
may be quoted. DIR. Parnell, in his
Grasses Around Edinburgh" limits
the natural occurrence of cock's-foot at
one thousand feet above the sea level.
Others appeared better than recorded
by Sinclair, in his experiments at
Woburn, for the reason that climate
suited them better. Smooth-stalked
grass is an example. Reed
canary grass by the sides of streams
grows from three to five feet, but here
as yet has reached only few inches,
the soil being too dry. I sowed few
seeds of Anthoxanthum puelii. 1t
grew vigorously, lowered, and died in
1886. 1t is desirable that encourage
ment in all localities should be given
to investigation into the nature of the
grasses, in order to ascertain what are
best suited for the various conditions
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