Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-02-09
BROnE GRASS.
Value of Bronze Grass as a Fodder
Stated by Prof. Sheppard.

The value of Austrian bronze grass as
a fodder is something that interests
stock raisers in the western part of the
state, In view of the fact that land is
being taken up and fee range limited,
stocklnen will soon have to supplement
their supply with forage plants. Prof.
Sheppard of the Agriculture college says
Of the experiments that have been made:
1t is grown under cultivation in the
interior region of Russia known as
Steppes, Il region which is a high, dry
plain country similar to our own, with a
more rigorous climate than we have in
North Dakota. 1t has been grown at
the North Dakota experiment station
for nine years and has endured our eli
mate perfectly during that time. 1t
stands dry conditions well, making a
good growth in Williams county, Stark
county and upon certain light soils in
the southern part of this state. Under
corrcspondinsly sever conditions in the
Canadian provinces of Manitoba and
Assiniboia it has made a splendid show
ing and is now past the experimental
stage.
Beside a long list of cultivated grasses
at this station, it has proved to be the
earliest to start growth in the spring.
leading all others by several DAYS. it
also shows green earlier in the spring
than any native of the prairie. In
autumn it shows the same disposition
remaining green correspondingly later
than the native and other domestic
grasses.
1t forms Il very dense sod, more dense
than any other I have ever seen. 1t is
also a very deep roofing plant. 1t pro-
duces a good yield of hay upon good
land, from one and a half to two and a
half tons per acre, and l have seen some
fine crops of it upon sandy and gravelly
soil. The hay is equal to timothy hay in
quality and is little if any harder to cure
when cut.
The time of cutting it affects the quail
ity similarly, but to a less marked degree
than it does timothy. When timothy
ripens it's seeds the blades dry and it's
straw becomes harsh and woody, while
bronze grass leaves remain green. Bronze
grass cut high leaves a stubble with
leaves enough to have some value for
hay.
A pasture upon the station farm at
Fargo which consists of eighteen acres
of timothy and two acres of bronze grass.
has been p%astured with cattle regularly
each season for the past three years.
The cattle have eaten off the bronze grass
much more closely than they have the
timothy each year. This station has sent
out several hundred pounds of the seed
in pound packages to the different coun-
ties of the state for trial. Some of these
trials have been reported upon, and l
have reports from many persons who
have obtained seed from other sources.
In a large percentage of these cases the
experimentcr has said: A pet lamb, a
stray horse or a loose bunch of pigs have
accidentally discovered the plot of grass
and persisted in revisiting it until the
ground was practically bare. I have
seen horses in Williams county crop it
off to the ground in the month of june
in preference to prairie grass which was
in good condition. In all of the above
cases it should be remembered that the
bronze grass was offered in limited guam
tity and would be relished as variety,
but it certainly proves that it is palatable
and of good flavor. I have noticed that
the bronze grass remains green during
dry weather when timothy dries up
badly.
The price of seed is high at present,
making the coat of seeding a dollar and
seventy-tive cents to two and a half dol
lars per acre. 1t yields a large quantity
of seed and requires no extra machinery
to handle it more than the grain binder
and ordinary separator, followed by the
tanning mill. That means, it seems to
me, that as o o as the country is
stocked with seed it will cost no more
per acre to put land into bronze grass
! than it does o to put it into timothy,