DIGEST OF STATE REPORTS. 487 



At the December meeting of the board an essay was read by I\[r. O. 

 H. P. Lear, on the subject of ])lne-gTass. As to the proper time and 

 mode of sowing this grass, Mr. Lear says : 



I have received a communication from Colonel John Nichols, of Marion Coiinty, 

 who is one of the oldest and most successful farmers in Northeast Jlissouri. He has 

 heen experimenting with blue-grass for over thirty years. He says that the seed 

 should he sown in August, at the rate of four pouads of clean seed per acre, on well- 

 prepared laud, and that it should not be pastured until well set or sodded ; and further, 

 that stock should not be turned on it to graze before the middle of May, and should 

 be turned off by July, in order to let it grow for winter pasture ; thus treated, that it 

 is of more value thau clover to tlie larmer. He further says that it is economy toi^re- 

 pare timbered land ; after clearing out the iindergrowth, to' pasture with sheep, for 

 three years, very closely, or until the land is bare of vegetation, and the leaves and 

 limbs of the sprouts are all eaten otf, until the first of July. Then put the sheep on 

 good pasture to recruit by cold weather. By thus utilizing the labor of sheep, he can 

 kill out the sprouts much cheaper and also much quicker than by hand-grubbiug. Ho 

 further states that good blue-grass is the cream of all grasses, and is worth 84 per acre 

 annually; that it does not impoverish the land, but, on the other hand, will improve 

 it bj' the droppings of stock and the decomposing of its fibrous roots. Horses, mules, 

 and sheep do well on it during winter, if well grown and the snow does not get deeper 

 than five or six inches. 



In a discussion which followed the reading of this essay, IMr. Harris 

 said that for early spring, late autumn, and vrinter pasturage blue-grass 

 was without a rival. If the pastm^e has a good coat of grass on jvhen 

 winter sets in, all kinds of stock will do well on it without other feed- 

 ing, during winter, while the ground is not covered with snow. Its 

 capacity of growing at any temperature above the freezing-point enables 

 it to grow during warm days in winter, and brings it forward rapidly in 

 spring in advance of all other grasses. Its only drawback is, it cannot 

 stand drought, and in July and August itparcbes up entirely, but imme- 

 diately comes forward when the rains return. Its impatience of drought 

 imposes on the farmer the necessity of i)roviding a substitute for it for 

 two or three months in summer, whicb, however, is easilj/ done. In 

 sowing it is Mr. Harris's custom to mix the seed with clover and timo- 

 thy, which occupy the ground until the blue-grass is fully established, 

 which is from two to three years. 



Sheep-husbandry is attractmg considerable attention among the farm- 

 ers and stock-raisers in various sections of the State, and a growing 

 elemaud is apparent for better grades for both mutton and wool. Ex- 

 perience has demonstrated that many portions of the State are admi- 

 rably adapted to the succe.ssful rearing of slieep. At the December 

 meeting of the board, ]\Ir. G. W. Kinney read an essay on the import- 

 ance of crossing the native stock with pure-blood Cotswoids, Leicesters, 

 orMerinas. Tiie best grades for both mutton and v,'ool are most surely 

 attained in this way, and the liealth and hardiness of the breed are 

 greatly insured. Speaking of the native stock, Mr. Kinney says: 



The native long-staple, coarse-wool sheep of Missouri arc a. good basis for a flock for 

 the common farmers. They are a healthy, hardy animal, used to taking care of them- 

 selves. The ewes are prolific, and good nurses, giving plenty of milk, and by crossing 

 them with the Leicesters we would improve the fineness of the wool and the length of 

 the staple, thus getting a second quality of combing-wool at the first cross. By cou- 

 tiniiiug to use full-blood bucks we should improve the quality of the wool, but, per- 

 haps, at the expense of hardiness and prolificacy — wo .should have better lambs, biit 

 fewer of them. By crossmg with the Cotswold, we should not improve the qualitj" of the 

 fleece so much as by crossing with the Leicesters, but we would increase the quantity. 

 We should retain tlie prolificacy of the ewes and their hardiness, and, perhaps, obtain 

 a sheep 1)etter suited to onr situation than by any other cross. By either of these crosses 

 the product would be a sheep profitable alike for mutton or v.-ool. By thus crossing 

 for a i)urpose, always having in view the quality, length, and weight of staple, and 

 the form and size of carcass, a flock can soon be built u^ to equal the famous improved 

 Kentuckj' sheep. 



