The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-05-27
Grass and Hay Crops.

!
Institute held in Berlin.
'It is said the family of plants known
as grasses, compose about one sixth of
the vegetation of the globe, and is not
only one the largest orders, but gilmore
npcrsance TO man than all other plants
combined. They grow in their various
FORMS and species from the equator to
the poles. In the torrid zone, they as
sumo the form of the beautiful pampas.
In the temperate zone they cover the
ground with beautiful carpet of turf, or
al seed time wave their sea Of heads in
unison with every breeze that blows. In
cluding the cereals (for they are of the
grass family The furnish the principal
food of man and of the domestic animals
and with few exceptions no poisonous or
even suspicious plants exist among
them. In short the industries built upon
the growth and marketing of products Of
the grasses are so important, that with
out their cultivation our commerce would
cease, our mills and workshops would
close and we would soon revert TO a state
of barbarism.
A knowledge of the various species Of
our native and introduced grasses would
be of great service TO every farmer, yet
how few there are who can give even the
common name Of a large number Of
them. 1t is not difficult matter to be-
come acquainted with these things Not
so difficult as it is to learn to judge Of the
weight Of steer by the eye. or to tell a
good COW by her general appearance.
There is a geat deal of experience and
forethought brought to bear on these latter
accomplishments, and one can be made
familiar with the common grasses around
him with even less study. The most
successful grazier or dairyman is one
who knows and can judge his stock best f;
so if a farmer would succeed in raising
hay for profit, or in keeping his mead
ows and pastures in good condition he
must be acquainted with the properties
and conditions of growth Of the various
species of grass grown, and il is Of ina
portance to know that there is no branch
of farming more profitable than the hay
crop when carried on intellIgently. The
prices obtained for hay and the esc1rcity
of a really good article should be suffi-
eient inducement for q farmer TO pay
more attention to the growth of the gras-
ses, and the making of good hay. We
do not argue that every farmer should be
thorough botanist, but he should know
sufficient of the science to understand in
a general way, what he may hear or read
in connection with it. This amount oi
knowledge may be easily acquired, by
the young in particular, and it would bt
well if our common school course in
ciuded the rudiments Of this science, 81
r interesting, so instructive and so import
ant to the farmer. A few words in re
gard to the life Of the grass plant. The
root fixes the plant to the ground anc
through It q portion Of the nOurishmen
Is furnished to the growing stem, th'
( flower and finally the fruit. The root
Of grass are fibrous and are often furnish
ed with running root stalks. Each join
of these underground stems may form
new plant, which makes such grass diff
I cult to exterminate, they also form th'
best turf4 The stem or culm answers &c
the trunk of tree to support the othe
parts. and to conduct the nourishment
from the roots and leaves, to the houl
and fruit. The stem is jointed at the in
tersection of each leaf, and bears th'
flower at its summit.
The leaves as with all other plants ars
the lungs drawing the life giving carbon
from the air slso throwing of the sur
plus water, that has been taken in by tn
roots. In the grasses, the leaves sprini
from each joint irst on one side of tn
stem, the next one above on the other
The continuation Of the leaf down th'
: stem is called the sheath, which clasp
the stem and IS open on the side oppo
site the blade. The leaves usually beal
an appendage at the throat ofthe sheath
called the legule, and the shape of TIN
appendage or its absence becomes an i'm
portant matter in ascertsining species
Growth continues until finally the flow
ering period arrives, when the ear make
= its appearance. First the blade, thel
the ear. then the full corn in the ear,
and the plant complets its cycle OF ex
istence. The flowers Of the grasses ar
minute and require magnifying glass d
: properly distinguish their parts, and it
with them that the botsnist has chief
. To deal when Distinguishing species
We sneak Of the natural and cultiyate'
grasses. The former grow principally Q
their own accord and may grow without
the direct aid Of man. They are indi
genous to the soil or have become so bs
cause the soil and climate suit the
spontaneous growth. The latter Of cours
are those which have received the fostel
ing care Of man such as timothy Hun
. garian grass, rye grass, and others 1t
m supposed there are as many as two hun
q dred different species Of grass to be foun
in Pennsylvania. Ofthis number Herd
grass or Timothy is better known to II
farmer than perhaps any other grass "
could mention. There seems to be tS
accounts Of the introduction Of this plsi
into cultivation The one credits NJ
Herd with having found it growing wi
in New Hampshire, and therefore Il
name Herds grass. But the more a
then tic version seems to be that Tim
thy Hanson Introduced it from Britai
and thus the name Timothy by whi'
", ii Is known to Pennsylvania It is thel
N fore foreigner as most Of our cultivat
"a plants are. Its manner of growth, Al