The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-03-14
TO EXPERIMENT WITH GRASSES
Quarter Section Purchased on Rattlesnake
Range and Work Has Begun.

Range and Work Has Begun.
Prof. W. A. Spillman Of the state
agricultural college at Pullman was at
Sunnvside for three days during the past
week establishing the station for expert
menting in range grasses. lie brought
with him T. j. Cotton, Il post graduate
of the college, who will he left in charge
of the work to be carried on Ill this
county. After making all arrangements
to successfully launch the undertaking
Mr.. Spillman returned home on Mon
dav, 4 section of land was purchased
on the top OF Rattlesnake mountain, or
range, to the northeast of Sunnyside,
and seven acres of this will be devoted
to the experiments under fence, and
about as many more acres will be in the
open country where cattle can range and
feed on the grasses to be experimental
with. 4 small house will be built on
the tract for the man in charge so
thorough test can he made OF growing
grasses on the barren hills of Central
Washington.
Speaking OF the undertaking, Prof.
Spillman has the following to say:
"The grass problem in the inland
empire presents two principal phases
first, the regrassing OF the ranges; sec
ond, the finding OF suitable grasses and
forage plants for hay and pasture on
arible land. The failure here of the
standard forage crops OF the eastern
states led many to believe that this
region was not adapted to grasses, but it
should be remembered that before the
advent Of agriculture here the country
was so well adapted to grasses that these
had occupied the land to the exclusion
of other forms OF vegetation. This is a
natural grass country and our investiga-
lions have proceeded far enough to war
rant the assertion that certain grasses
may be grown with great profit, at least
on cultivated farms.
''The problem OF the ranges is a large
one and will take several years to solve.
We are going to ascertain what the
range lands will do when left alone. For
this purpose we will fence quarter Sec
ton at one time covered with bunch
grass, but now nearly bare except for the
weeds that the stock do not eat. We
hope to ascertain whether the ranges
will again be covered with the native
grasses ii the stock on them is reduced
sufficiently, and also how long it will
take to regrass them. \ portion OF the
area under fence will be sown to about
twenty kinds OF grasses that we think
are promising. We want to see if sim
ply scattering the seed is sufficient to
establish them. Some will be sown in
the spring. some in the fall. Part of
the area will be pastured and part kept
free from stock.
Another area will be seeded and har-
rowed, and another smaller tract plowed,
seeded and narrowed, the idea being to
find out how much effort is necessary to
establish these grasses on the ranges.
We are well aware that it will not pay
to pillow the ranges, but il they cannot
be regrassed in any other way we want
to know it.
"When We have found out which
grasses are the most promising and the
best way Of getting them started we
expect to extend the work to ether parts
OF the state and give our work the wild
est possible publicity, SO that others may
be ready 10 take it up when it has passed
the experimental stage. 1t is our bust
ness to find out how the work may be
done it Is the business OF the farmers
to see that the method is carried out in
their respective localities
1--WE are only at the beginning OF this
important work. At present the only