Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-03-24

PRICE FIVE CENTS.
sential in providing the necessary or
ganic matter. The experiments Of the
Fargo Station have covered period Of
dozen years, and during the past
three or four years seed has been sup
piled from there to other parts of the
state to test its adaptability to the
wide range of soils and climates that
prevail.
From large number Of reports of
experiments from all over the state,
few are briefly given.
In Bottineau county the seed was
sown May 20, and does not seem to
dome very we'll the first year, for ac-
cording to the report it was but about
six inches high in the fall However,
it is found that in the spring it was
two and three inches high before the
native grass started. Subsequently,
says the experimenter. it was de-
stroyed by cattle, but since it has had
chance lit has done we'll, and stands
seven to fifteen inches now June 8,
1880, and promises good CROP
Hon. H. 7. Helgeson of Cavalier,
says: Il pastured two cows on two
acres OF bronze grass and during the
drouth they just kept it even, but after
the rains came. it grew as high as
their knees in spite of them .
| Coming nearer home, in Eddy coun-
ty. the first year it grew splendid1y.
The second year it did not grow long,
but stooled out wonderfully, and
was found to be unequalled for pasture.
| Hon. Geo. S. Roberts experimental
some in Kidder county under rather
unfavorable conditions, but thinks the
bronze grass would be all right if it
had a chance and proper attention.
In McHenry county it did not do
we'll the first year, but the second it
did better. and was cut for hay, yield
/ ing about two tons per acre, and then
i furnished excellent pasture until frost
came.
| In Stutsman county it stood the
drouth well, and as a hog pasture it
proved "a great success.
| In Trail county it was destroyed by
/ hail in 1900, but was green during the
dry weather preceding, while timothy
was all died up.
The reports vary somewhat, and it
would be natural to expect them to
do so, as they cover a limited acreage
and short period of time, but the
uniformity of the expressions of belief
that it will prove a good pasture grass,
leave little room to doubt the correct
ness of the statements The reports
| upon its promise as hay crop would
also indicate that it will prove su-
perior to any other cultivated grass
for that purpose.
In the course of an exhaustive report
ON the experiments in growing and
curing this grass and feeding the prod
not. Prof Shepperd. of the agricultural
college says:
The stock ate the bronze hay some
what cleaner than they did the tim
othy. They did exactly the same
amount and kind of work. and were
given practically the same quantity of
oats.
The experiment showed a little bet
ter results from the bronze hay, but the
weights did not run uniform enough to
warrant a positive decision. Other
horses at the station ate thrashed
| bronze straw. with a relish. This
would indicate hat the straw is pala-
table, and that it probably contains
considerable nutrition. The larger per-
ccntage of leaves upon it, and the
number of stems which do not head
out add to the palatability and nutri-
tive value of the bronze hay.
| Beside 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. 1t also shows green in the
spring earlier than any native of the
prairie. In, autumn it shows the same
dispositio green CORE
spondingly later than the native or
| other domestic grasses.
1t forms a very dense sod-mcre
dense than any other have ever seen,
1t is also very deep roofing plant.
1t produces a good yield of hay ON
| good land-from one and half to two
| tons per acre-and l have seen some
! fine crops of it upon sandy and gravel
ly soil. The hay is equal to timothy
hay in quality. and is little if any
harder to cure when cut
| Thus it would seem we have ample
evidence that in Australia bronze
grass has been found a plant adanted