Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-04-26
THE GRASS CROP.

| THE GRASS CROP.
lts orsas vaiss Not Gsaeraily Appeesa-
atcd By Farmers
Grass is so easily produced in most
portions of the United States that its
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 a premium for
the most productive pasture or tho
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 pasture which furnishes food
during the grazing season for us many
head of cattle IS it contains acres. Tho
dairy farmers of Scotland do this. and
some of them are not satisfied ii they
do not raise grass enough on single
acre to feed COW during the entire
year. That four tons of hay can DO
produced ON an acre of land has been
shown in England; that it is rs easy
to produce four tons of hay as one hum
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 SUBJ
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 arc
best adapted to different kinds of soil.
Stock-raiscrs 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 fesh-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
tne most rapidly. Dried grass fur
nishes more than half their support
during the other six months vi 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 prOht-
able in any part Of the world where
grass is not abundant and Of goOd
quality. What is true of the produce
ton of milk is also true Ut tho
production of wool and beef. A poor
country tor grass is Il very poor coun-
Try for the dairyman, the woOI-grower
and the becf-pro1ucer. 1t Is . coun-
try where Il large amount Oh labor is
required to prOluce Il very little milk.
wool or meat, and ali Of them are like
ly to be OF exceedingly poor quality.
Much care is given to crops that arc
not naturally uuapted 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 iuxur-
iantly in y wild state. and all it APP
parently wanted was ito be let alone.
Uncared for. and even abused, it con-
tinues t, grow and to afford food for
the many animals that trampled it
down. In most cases it continued to
till, like the buffalo that fed
upon it, it "was killed of" 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
flo More hooks have been written in