Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-05-13
Notes From Our Agricultural College.
BY Prof W. A. Henry.7
CONCERNING KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS

CONCERNING KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS.
Do Wisconsin farmers know and
realize that what they commonly
call "June grass" is the same plant
that in Kentucky's boasted pastures
goes under the name of "blue grass?"
When visiting Ashland, the Henry
Clay homestead, near Lexington, to
study its live stock. gave the closest
attention to the sod grass of the
pastures; getting down on my knees
| examined the turf to compare it
with that which so freely covers Wis
consin pastures and road sides, and
was not able to discover any super
iority for the Kentucky product,
either in density of growth or in any
other way. What we call "June
grass" in Wisconsin is identical,
botannicaily, with Kentucky blue
grass, and since it grows just as freely
here, why should we not give it the
more aristocratic name? Would not
every acre of Wisconsin's pasture
lands be worth more in the minds of
her farmers at least, and would they
not take more pride in them if the
carpet which covers them so green
to-day were called Kentucky blue
grass instead of plain ''June grass?"
Kentucky blue grass grows every
where in our state with a freedom
and tenacity which is simply sur
prising 1t is the only grass of this
region which forms a sod so dense
that it can be cut and rolled up like
carpet. Even the severe droughts
which sometimes affiict US cannot
utterly destroy it, for though it may
be brown and look entirely dead, the
first good rainfall works magical
change and it green's almost in night
time, and springs forward to please
the eye and nourish the cattle with a
rapidity and vigor which is simply
marvellous.
| wish particularly at this time to
call the attention of our farmers to
the peculiar habits of growth of Ken
lucky blue grass, and draw most
important lesson therefrom All
through May and into June this grass
grows rapidly and usually supplies
more feed than the farmer has attic
to consume. So luxuriant is the
growth that often as the farmer
walks over his pastures during the
last half Of May he is apt to wish for
more live stock to consume the over
abundant forage everywhere so evil
dent. A few weeks later, however,
when he makes the same round land
what farmer does not enjoy these
frequent tours of inspection over mis-
domain) he notes that the grass has
almost ceased growing, so that by
midsummer the excess of the earlier
date has been cropped off and the
ground shows bare and even brown.
Our blue grass plants are not dead
nor even dying, but they have ex-
hausted their energies and have
entered a necessary period of rest,
which lasts all through the latter
part of July, August and even into
September. During this period comes
hard times with the cattle, for now
not only are the fields quite bare OF
provender, but the sun is almost
clustering hot and the blood-sucking
insects most annoying. The sheep
seek the shade, holding their noses
close to the earth, and frequently
stamping to drive away the flies; the
fattening cattle and young things
show no increase in weight, and the
dairy COWS scantily fed and much fret
ted shrink greatly in their milk flow.
Our farmer, who only a few weeks be-
fore was wishing for more cattle to
consume the extra growth of grass,
now wishes he had larger areas OF
pasture, and regretfully realizes that
be is losing money every day because
his stock is not properly fed Along
in September with the cooler weather
and increased rainfall the blue grass
fields show their rich green again, the
food becomes more abundant and
normal conditions once more pre-
vail.
PROVIDE FORAGE TO MAKEUP FOR THE
DEFICIENCY IN THE PASTURES.
While our farmer has each year OBJ
served just what is above described
TOO few Of them provide for the de-
ticiency as they should. We have all
come to think that after we have fed
our stock for six months in winter,
they should at least shift for them
selves the other half Of the year; is it
profitable to let farm stock go hungry
at any time, and why should cattle
suffer for food in summer any more
than In winter? | urge upon every
farmer reader of these notes to at
once make ample provision against
the shortage above described by sup
plying some kind of forage easily
raised.
Fall sown rye is the first plant
which provides green food for spring
use, and is already large enough for
cutting at this time. Next to rye
comes the oat plant, which if cut
just before heading OF shortly after
gives valuable forage. By June red
clover is large enough to cut for soil
ing cattle, and furnishes excellent
food. These plants usually come,
however, before the blue grass past
ures have given out and so are not
particularly needed by farmers who
have the usual area of pasture land.
A great plant for helping over mid
summer shortage is Indian corn, and
| wish particularly to call attention
at this time to its great merits. Every
farmer who wishes to get the most
from his stock, should plant one acre