The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-11-15
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AGRlCULTURiSTS
Some Up-to-Date Hints About Cultiva-
tion OF the Soil and Yields Thereof
Aorttculture, yitinulturs and Floricul-
turc.
English H1ue-ara.s In tho west.

English Elue-Grass In the West.
John S. Gilmore OF Fredonia. Kas.,
is more practically familiar with the
production of English blue grass. or
meadow fescue, having raised it on
larger scale. than perhaps any other
man in the middle west. At the re-
quest Of Secretary F. D. Coburn he
has written an account of his expert
ence. which appears in recent report
OF the Kansas department OF agricul-
ture. Extracts from his article fol-
lew:
This grass has two-fo1d value: for
Its seed crop and for pasturage-the
relative Importance of each being de-
termined by the view and interest OF
the grower. The seed crop brings
early cash. and it is for seed that the
grass is chiefly grown in Kansas. It's
heaviest yields are given in the first
three or four years, which run from
six to twelve bushels per acre, accord
ing to soil and season. Kansas is be-
lleved to produce seventy-fve per cent
of the seed crop of this country, and
at least ninety per cent of the total
crop of the United States is sent
abroad. On any lands fairly adapted
1or corn Gin eastern Kansas) it can
be advantageously grown; but on
light, whitish soil, it does not show
strong vitality nor resist extreme dry
weather, and is brief lived.
The ground cho,,1d 10 v1n,~,a1
time before seeding (as for wheat)
lthat it may settle, but If freshly
plowed can be improved by going over
;lt with float. The best state Of filth
Iattalnable is highly important The
nearer the ground can be made like
garden, and the more even and level
before drilling in or sowing the seed,
the better. A majority favor drilling,
put other very successful growers SOW
broadcast and harrow in lightly; and
some tall plant, while others prefer
tine spring for seeding. / favor the
ran, II the ground can be prepared and
rams sufficiently moisten the soil by
September to Is, but am aware that
ample moisture can be expected in the
spring, and, therefore. a good stand
is surer. But fall start brings a
seed crop year sooner, and the grass
gets dominant in advance of noxious
vegetation. 1t Is not easily winter
Killed If the fall is not unfavorable
and the ground was early plowed.
DO not like the hoe-drill so well as a
shoe-drilI. nor the eight-inch so well
as the six -inch-2 apart drill rows. though
some have used the former with satis-
factory results.
The quantity planted per acre varies
from a peck to three pecks when pro-
ducing seed is the paramount object,
and from three pecks to bushel and
upwards when pasture alone is sought.
"A half-bushel per acre when seed crops
are the first consideration and it is
drilled in, is enough on rightly pre-
pared ground, for then every seed is
covered; If showers follow narrowing
IN, almost every seed will sprout and
take root An inch is ample depth to
Grill, and. If the ground surface is uni
formly leveled. scarcely any of the
seed is put too deep. When har-
roWed in, the harrow should be set to
run as for millet and similar light
seed. The seed should be cleaned and
freed from cheat and weed seed, If
possible, before planting. Fescue is
ready for cutting for seed right after
wheat, with the self binding harvester,
and is shocked as acc wheat and oats.
The bundles are somewhat ragged in
appearance and bulky at the butts
because of the heavy blade growth,
the straw of which is valuable winter
feed for cattle. 1t is stacked or
thrashed out of the shock by the regu-
lar thrasher men, and the cost per
bushel ranges from the wheat charge
to double the same, according to the
quantity. If sold, the seed is taken
from the thrashing machine direct to
the railroad, loaded in cars. in two
bushel bags, and shipped.
The points in favor of raising this
grass in the portion Of Kansas where 1t
best thriyes are several and substan-
tial. It is not especially risky nor ex-
rensive for seed and labor to get a
stand; the same implements and ma
chinery used for the other crops are
employed in its planting and harvest
ing; the seed is a fairly profitable crop
I'm itself with yield near the aver
age, and at a price of from three and
one-half cents to four cents per pound;
the straw after thrashing (probably
one-fourth of a ton per acre) leads all
other straw for roughage, and stock
cleans it up with avidity.