Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-02

other semi-arid countries sown on prairie
sod.
"second-The attempt to increase the
natural hay supply by raising annual for
age crops under cultivation.
"Third-Systematic treatment of the ma
tive grasses that will allow them to reseed
themselves and to regain vitality.
at is not likely that any plant from for
eign lands will ever entirely replace the
native prairie grasses. II is, however, pos
slble and indeed probable that some plant
or plants not indigenous to this region will
be found that may be seeded on the prairie
soil, and by growing with the native grasses
Increase the feed supply. Such plants, to
be useful. must possess qualities not COM
mon to native grasses. In looking for for
age plants to fill this place it is frst nee
essary to consider the advantages and DIS
advantages in the native grasses as we find
them. In the first plac the existence OF a
large number of varieties of prairie grasses,
each of different structure and habits OF
growth, is a point OF much Importance In
affording a variety of feeds and a succession
OF growth from medium early spring
I through midsummer and fall,
Value of Prairie Grasses.
Another point greatly in favor of prairie
grasses is that they are here by reason of
the fact that they have proven themselves
capable Of maintaining existence under the
most unfavorable conditions that our err
ratio climate can produce. Unlike culti-
waited plants, they cannot be replanted after
an unusually cold winter or hot. dry sum
mer. So far as the ability to live is con-
cerned 1t has been a survival OF the httest.
So far as feed production Is concerned this
cannot be said to be true. 1t is not always
the case, nor, indeed, generally so, that the
hardest plants are the rankest growers. In
seeking for a substitute for these grasses II
may be possible to secure a plant Of greater
productiveness, although 1t may be some
what less hardy against the extremes OF
cold or Of drouth. The native grasses dc
not, as a rule, begin growth early in the
spring. The result 10 that the stockmaI
must provide dry feed for two or three
weeks longer than he would II the native
grasses had the habits of early growth pos
sessed by some OF the cultivated grasses
In a word, the shortcomings OF the prairie
grasses when sumed up are on the score
OF produetiveness rather than hardness.
ANIMALS Not n Suitable Grass.
'If any introduced plants are to be valued
for pasturage in the range country thel
must possess certain desirable properties
Perennials ara the only plants worth test,
ing for pasturage, as the dinaoulty in Sc
curing a stand OF grasses under customar!
?. conditions would preclude the use Of an
nuais.
1.-THE seed should be large and heavy 81
that It can be deposited with greater &C
euracy and can be covered with soil thu
making It's termination more certain. Tn,
root system should be large enabling tn
plant to utilize a maximum OF the moistur
in the soil. AS an example Of this alfalf
is the most striking. On the universit,
farm It continued to grow during tn
drought OF 1901 when the soil under It con
tanned considerable less water than an
other field on the farm, yet growth ha
stopped everywhere else except wit
gramA grass. The enormous root syster
Of the alfalfa enabled II to get moistur
from the soil when other plants could moi
"In times of extreme drouth plants mus
be able to lie dormant without being killed
Most Of the native grasses possess thi
quality to a marked degree, and among cul
tivatsd plants we hnd Il notieeably In al
falfa and awnless bronze grass.
Bronze Grass and Alfalfa Ahead.
During the last 1--WE years I have trie
more than 400 forage plants at the exper
ment station and Of these awnless bron
grass and alfalfa, either Of the TuTksstI