The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-09
FARM AND
GARDEN II
INTERESTS
Grass and Hay Crops.

Philadelphia Record.
Grass and hay are crops that depend
largely upon an abundance OF moisture 10
give the largest yields, and the object of
every farmer is to get his grass crop as
far ahead as possible before the dry wealth
er of summer sets in. Sometimes a single
shower, at a time when the ground is dry.
is worth more than a prolonged period of
rain early in the season. Sod land Is al
ways ready to make growth as soon as
the warmth of spring begins, but when
new pastures or grass crops are seeded
down early in the spring the future prog
ress of the crop will depend largely upon
the manner in which the land was prepared
and the amount of plant food supplied.
There is no substitute for grass in the
summer season, as it provides bulky and
succulent food before other crops are
ready, largely adding TO the production Of
milk, butter and meat. and Is harvested
by the animals themselves while on the
pasture, thus saving considerable labor in
feeding, as we'll providing a variety OF
foods that cannot be secured in any other
manner.
The grass grown for hay should be
separate crop. Glover and timothy are the
standards for hay, although they do not
ripen together. No hay grasses should be
pastured, as the feet of the animals do
considerable harm, while the field Is never
eaten of evenly. The pasture grasses. in
tended for grazing purposes only, should
consist of as many varieties as possible,
while such is not necessary for the hay
crop. A variety of grass that is indigo
nous to the soil Of the pasture lot may
sooner or later crowd out all other kinds
and take possession. but If such variety
is relished by stock, and maintains its
hold on the land, it will probably be found
better than any other kind on account of
It's hardness and ability TO Withstand
droughts.
Whether for hay or pasture the land
should be deeply plowed and well har-
roWed, so as TO have the soil in the finest
possible condition. This is essential, for
the reason that the young plants will have
better facilities for feeding and will rap
Idly increase in root growth before the
warm days of July and August. The more
early growth the grass can make the bet
ter 1T will be able to endure dry spell.
If manure Is used 1t should be thoroughly
decomposed, in order that all seeds of
weeds may be destroyed, as IL is difficult
10 get at weeds growing on a grass plot.
The safer method is TO apply fertilizers.
Wood ashes are excellent but a mixture
or 100 pounds of nitrate of soda, l25
pounds sulphate of potash and fifty pounds
nitrate of soda, per acre, If the land is in
moderate condition, will give the grass
an early start and enable it to become
we'll established before meeting with lack
of moisture. The main point in the grow
ing OF a grass crop is to get an even and
uniform stand at the beginning, for any
gain at the start will be OF advantage at
later periods of growth.
While mixed grasses should be preferred
on pasture field, it is better TO grow
hay crops singly-unmixed-th mixing of
the foods TO be done at the barn when
feeding the animals after harvesting the
grass crops. 1t is better for the farmer
not TO depend upon a single kind of hay
crop, as prolonged drought may destroy
1t. Instead of growing clover and timothy
only, there should be fields of COW peas,
hungarian grass and fodder corn, which
can, IL necessary, be seeded late and
moved at any stage of growth. according
TO circumstances. Pasture lands may in
clude rye a late fall and early spring
supply, but grown separately from the
grasses, while crimson clover is also an
other late and early crop that may he
made to fill up a gap. being also an excel
lent green manurial crop.
An old sod that has furnished a crop for
several years need not be plowed under
because of beginning to fail. 1t may only
need a liberal application of fertilizer to
become useful again. but If the best Varie-
ties of grasses have disappeared, and some
undesirable kind provides the green food
and cultivated to corn, to give the
land thorough working. though the best
time to do so is in the fall using lime on
the sod and blowing in a manner so as
TO bury all the sod, i'm order to prevent
1t from growing the following spring. The
cause of failure of pastures is largely due
to close grazing and trampling by the
animals; hence it should be the rule TO
have change of pastures, in order to pre-
vent cropping the grass too close to the
ground.