Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-05-12

hence allows water to evaporate from
It rapidly. It also increases the sur
face exposed to the air by throwing
the ground into ridges, and by this
e increases the rate of evapora-
ton Of the moisture from 1t. The soil
should be loosened us soon as it is dry
enough to work without baking after
each rain which falls during the time
for corr cultivation. A rain causes
the surface Of the soil to Il together
and re-establishes capillarity, and thus
allows it to lose not only the moisture
which came in that rain, but much Of
the deeper water which has been
stored for later use. Agricultural stu
dents at the college spend much time
In a study Of the laws governing the
movement Of the water In soil, and are
usually surprised to learn that during
q dry time, a light rainfall may aus
a loss Of not only the water which the
rain brought, but also that from the
soil which was stored in it before the
rain fell.
Austrian Bronze Grass, also called
Hungarian Bronze Grass and Arrow.
less Bronze Grass, Is q native Of Rus
STA. This grass was introduced into
the United States from Russia by tho
government experimental stations, ana
Is proving a most excellent grass foe
this state. 1t produces good crops OF
hay for three and four years, and al0o
yields an abundant supply Of after.
math, or second growth. At the end oe
its period of usefulness for hay, fouI
of five years after sowing, it yields Q
good supply for pasture. The hay 10 Of
good quality, perhaps about equallinG
timothy. The seed is expensive at the
present time, but must, when the counr
try Is once stocked, become cheap, as Il
yields 200 to 300 pounds Of seed Per
acre. 1t requires twenty pounds Of the
seed for an acre of ground. The plant
rcsists drouth we'll, and at the same
time does we'll on moist land. It with.
stands the rigors of our winters, and
has rot been killed ever by dry, severe,
snowless winters, such as North Dako-
tn experienced in 1897 and 1898. It 10
native to the interior region Of Russia,
where 1t is grown in an extensive way
and very successfully. That region 10
a plain, similar in many ways to our
own. The climate is dry and the air
carries a small percentage Of moisture
as does our Owl Their winters are
more rigid than our own, and their soil
not diSsimilar, all Of which points prob
ably favor the acclimatiZatiOn and sue
cess Of the grass here. From the most
practical and conclusive Of all argu-
ments-actual trial in almost every
district Of the state, with universal
good reports, we have the strongest
testimony In its favor. Our Canadian
friends on the north have given it an
ever longer md more extensive trial
than we have, and report it the most
successful grass which they have found
for the provinces Of Manitoba and Al.
sinaboine. The Minnesota and South
Dakota experimental stations, and, In
tact, the experimental stations Of the
western states, agree in giving this
grass first place for semi-arid regions
OF the West, where irrigation Is not
practicable. Seed it without a nurs>
crop. Sow 1t broadcast and harrow Il
IN thoroughly. The universal testlmo.
ny is that 1t does not succeed we'll with
enu1se crop. Now the weeds off about
lour or five inches high once during the
nrst season. If the stand looks very
poor the first fall, do not plow It under.
as 1t Will thicken up surprisingly tho
next spring. No crop will be obtained
the llrst season, although q little pastur.
Ing the fall Of that year will not inturS
1T. 1T can be seeded as early in the
spring as wheat is sown.
The common practice Of Western
farmers has been to break prairie land
as shallow as the plow will run-abouA
three to four inches deep-in June, at.
Ter the grasses have started well and
De1ore they have approached maturity.
mat stage seems to be the most tender
one for grasses. In the fall, l.. e., after
September, it is usually back-set, or
ploWed again, the burrows being run
IN the same direction as before, at
Wnlch time the grass which has been
proved over when in a succulent form,
the previous June, is we'll rotted. and
the SOIL, while still tough, has partially
o~lslntegrated and decayed. The follow.
Ing spring will find the soil still well
tled together with the undecayed roots
or the prairie grasses. The liberal USE
OF the disc or acme harrow, followed
Dy the ~peg-toOthed harrow, will nut the
1anu INTO very fair shape. The land
Will produce 4 good crop of wheat OF
other small grain the first season after
breaking. 1t is free from weeds. and
will yield a good crop Of clean flax. and
Is often profitably used for that pur.
pose. The following season finds the
soil in splendid condition for a wheat
or, In fact, any crop which it is desired
to grow. The practice of breaking the
land in the EARLY spring can be fol.
lowed II desired. When that is done,
II a be seeded to flax at once, and
VII! produce a fair yield of very clean
eeed. The crop Of flax is expected 70
cover the cost Of breaking the land.
when the flax crop is taken off the
land is %back-set, and is ready for wheat
the Following spring. The liberal use
or the disc, followed by the peg-toothed
narrow Is a great assistance in pre-
pairing the sod for a crop of grain.