New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-07-06
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-
fir
T aiming Wild Grasses,

broached by Professor Charles e.
Bessey, OF the Nebraska Experiment.
Station, in recent article In the
American Agricult urist. 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, red-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
tho others have been scarcely more
than a century under cultivation.
The ameis true ofthe grains, although
the date OF their tanning is OF course,
much more romantic. De Candolle
thinks the native habitat ofthe wheat
plant has been discovered, and Indian
corn once grew wild, whether in Asia
or America is a point on which au-
thorities differ.
It is therefore a very reasonable
suggestion that what has been done
may be done again in the way of re-
deenlng wild grasses from their saw
age state and making them more sub
servient TO the use oil man than they
now are. Prof. Bessey has done well
to call attention to the subject, and
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, be
sure that the species is adapted to
the locality in which it is intended to
be grown; second, find out by expert
ment whether it is a variety that will
be eaten with relish by even a well-fed
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-
pagated.
Ii these points can be so far
determined as to Indicate that the
plant is worthy of further trial, it's
nutritive 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 hastened by high cultivation
and by the choice of a good strong
soil the experimental plantation.
This is a fascinating as well as USE
ful undertaking, for what could more
surely awaken the interest stimulate
the curiosity of a bright-minded, In.
telllgent farmer than to watch the
progress of these Wild denizens of
meadow and plain toward a higher and
more useful life, under hetuition ofhis
own mind and hand And he would
have before him also the noble stimu-
| LII
succeed, as q benefactor of mankind;
for If he is one who causes two blades
OF grass to grow where one grew be-
fore, surely the discoverer OF new
and useful variety is entitled to equal
If not greater honor.
Without attempting to suggest par
ticular species OF wild grasses for ex-
pertinent in any locality, Prof. Bessey
mentions a few OF which trial might be
make, such as switch grasp nicum
yirgatum L.-big blue stem-Audro-
pogon provincialis Lam.-bushy blue
stem Audropogon nutans LII noun
tain acknowledgements prateusis
T., wild ribbon grass-Phalaris arun-
dinacea L.,-Muhlenberg's grass
Muhlenberga glomerta Trim, large
bent grass Agrostis grandis Trim,
wild June grass Kenleria cristata
Pers., Buffalo bunch grass Fescuta
scabrella Torr, wheat grass
Agropyrunl glaucum r. and S.
Why should not many farmers, and
farmers sons and daughters, interest.
themselves in this scheme OF enlarging
the range of useful grasses? Ii they
failed ia securing the main object, they
would at least get vast deal Of
pleasure out OF the endeavor, and
much useful information.
One Hundred Per Cent Profit.
Our sheep business dates back
farther than I can remember. It's or
igin on The mothers side was three.
superlative native ewes, that sheared
~ pounds OF wool each. We have.
never bought an eve since, but haYe.
sold probably upward Of :, 900 sheep,
all our own production, and our stock
/ in trade today numbers Ats all told.
A year ago last May we sheared 800
sheep, last May 40, 50 that our flock
for the year averaged about 400,
from which our books show a direct
income OF 81, TOO, besides the surplus
numbers we have on hand over our
averaged numbered flock, and inn