Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1892-07-21
SOME FARMING MATTERS.
USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT
FARM. FIELD AND GARDEN.
Tanning Wild Grasses--Sex of Poul.
try at Will Making Timothy
Hay--One Hundred
Per Cent Pro-
fit
Tanning Wild Grasses.

Tanning Wild Grasses.
A subject OF no small Importance is
broached by Professor Charles f.
Bessey, of the Nebraska Experiment
| Station, in recent article in the
American Agriculturist. He suggests
that it is by no means likely that we
have reached the limit OF possibility
in the Improvement OF wild grasses
tanning them, as all the cultivated
grasses now known have been tanned.
by selection, cultivation, adoption to
soils, etc,
He reminds us that it is not very
long ago that timothy, re1.top, or
chard grass and Kentucky blue grass
were in wild state The first named
in fact, came into vogue only about a
hundred and thirty years ago. and
the Others have been scarcely more
than century under cultivation.
The same is true OF the grams, although
the date OF their tanning is OF course.
much more romantic. De Candol!e
thinks the native habitat oithe wheat
plant has been discovered, and Indian
corn once grew wild, whether i'll Asia
or America is point on which au-
thorities differ
1t Is therefore very reasonable
suggestion that what has been done
may be done aganm the way OF re-
deenlng wild grasses from their saw
age state and making them more sub
servlent 20 the use OF man than they
nov are. Prof. Bessey has done we'll
to call attention to the subject, AMI
to point out the method OF expert
menting with wild grasses so as most
directly to reach the desired result.
The points OF most Importance TO
be kept in mind when making these
experiments are as follows: First, he
sure that the species is adapted to
the locality in Which it is intended 10
be grown; second find out by expert
ment whether it is variety that Will
be eaten with relish by even a well.ied
beast; third, it should be determined
whether it is'capable OF being success
fully grown under cultivation, and
finally, whether it can be easily pro-
pagaied.
Ii these points can be so far
determined as to Indicate that the
plant is worthy OF further trial. its
nutrltive value may be ascertained
by chemical analysis, and the process
OF Improvement may be entered upon
with a good basis for hope that a
useful plant will be developed The
process of Improvement consists
simply in the selection OF seeds from
the best specimens growing wild,
subiecting them to the most favorable
conditions OF growth, selecting seeds
again from the best specimens, and so
on for a number OF years. until salts
factory development OF plant and
seed has been attained. The process
may be FASTENED by high cultivation
and BY the choice OF Il good strong
soil the experimental plantation.
This Is Il fascinating rs well as use
fui undertaking. Tor what could more
surely awaken the interest stimulate
the curiosity oil Il predetermined in.
telligent farmer tnan TO watch the
progress OF these wild denizens OF
meadow and plain toward higher and
more useful lie. under the tuition OF his
own mind and hand. And he would
have before him also the noble stmu-
lus OF being recognized, should he
Succeed, as a beneiactor OF mankind
for il he is one who causes two blades
OF grass to grow where one grew be-
fore, surely the discoverer OF a new
and useful variety is entitled to equal
ii not greater honor.
Without attempting to suggest par
ticular species OF wild grasses for ex-
pertinent in amy locality, Prof. Bessey
mentions Il few o. which trial might be
maze, such as switch .rass-Panicum
yirGatum big blue stem-Au,ro.
poaon provincialis I.am-bushy blue
stem-Audropogon nutans l..-moun-
tain acknowledgements prateusis
L., wild ribbon srass-Phalaris arun.
,iinacea L.,-Nluhlenberg' grass
Muhlenberga gomerta Trim, -ia.se
bent .rass-Asrostis grands Trim
wild June grass-k n!eria crlstata
ers.,-Buifalo bunch grass-Fescuta
scabrella Torr,-and wheat grass
Agropyrum glnucum Il. and S.
Why should not many farmers, and
farmers sons and daughters. interest
themselves in this scheme OF enlarcing
the range OF useful grasses? Ii they
failed in securing the main object, they
would at least get u vast deal OF
pleasure out OF the endeavor, and
much useful information.
One Hundred Per Cent Profit.
Our sheep business dates back
farther than | can remember. Its or
iSin on the mothers side was three
superlative native ewes, that sheared
q, pounds OF wool each. We have
meyer bought an eve since, but haye
sold robabIy upward OF 5000 sheep,
all our own production, and ourstock
in trade today numbers Ats all told.