Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1899-08-17
THURSDAY. August II, 1899.
THE OFFICIAL PAPER or GILLIAN
COUNTY, OREGON.
GR6SSES FOR EAcTER4N
OREGON.

plants Of the Northwest, which are
the main dependence Of the dairy,
the wool aud the cattle interests of
this country, are now being inves-
sigated by the United States de-
parsnent Of agriculture, through
the chief of the division, Professor
f. Iamson Scribner. Professor
Scribner who is under instruct
ions from Secretary Wilson, has
Iust returned to Portland from
Walla Walla, where there has been
located grass farm for testing the
adaptability Of various grasses to
the climate east Of the mountains
and for investigating the habits of
growth of new aud untried varieties
The grass farm, which is on the
lands of the 0. r. & n. Co, was es-
tablished in the spring of 1898, by
the industrial agent of the
company, R. c. Judson. Upon the
recommendations of Professor Scrib-
per, who visited the grounds last
season, the work was turned over
to the department of agriculture,
and is now officially under the di-
rection of Professor Scribner.
The experiments being made
are under the immediate care Of
a. B. LecEenby, special agent in
the division of agrostology and rep
resentative of Professor Scribner,
on this coast.
Through the efforts of the agri-
cultural department number Of
5Dteresting and very promising
varieties of forage plants are cul-
tivated at Walla Walla.. Promi-
nent among these are the Turke-
stan alfalfa, from the dry regions
of Western Asia, and Oasis alfalfa
from Northern Africa. These va
rieties resemble the common alfal
ia of this country, but it is already
manifest that the first named il
more hardy, and it is believed tina
the latter will prove suitable fol
locations where irrigation is impos
sible. Smooth bronze grass ha
shown a wonderful vitality, under
most trying conditions of poor sol
lack of water and extremes Of hea
and cold, Among those grasses
seed of which can be procured il
the markets, this bronze, from tn
steppes of Russia, will withstan,
the longest and most trying pc
RODS of drought.
A forage plant of much promis
and entirely new to agriculture
the Metcalfe bean, procured fror
the dry mesas Of New Mexico, b
Professor Scribner. This bean
making a fine growth at the exper
mental station and tnay prove I
be as valuable to the dry region
east of the mountains, as the We
vet bean is to the Gulf states.
Particularly striking because {
their vigorous growth and manifel
productiveness are the native ry
and wheat grasses. Among I'll
former are found our best grasst
for binding drifting sands, or fC
very sandy soils, and among th
latter are species which grow upo
the dryest cattle ranges of the int
rior. Slender wheat grass is OF
of these, and this grass has mao
excellent showing at the farm, bl
the wheat bunchgrss is the specie
of all others the one best suited
conditions of dry soil and climat
1t is the 'bunchgrass" ofthe Nortl
west and its re-establishmeI
upon the ranges can doubles
be effected by reseeding under pro-
er conditions, followed by suitab
management in regard to grain
Another grass of much promise
blue grama. This grass is one
the buffalo grasses" east of Il
Rocky mountains and afforc
much excellent grazing. Ifit can
successfully introduced upon Il
ranges of Eastern Oregon it will
a great boon to the stockmen
that region. It's power to resi-
trampling and drought gives
special value. It's growth on Il
farm has been remarkably success
full.