PASTURES AND MEADOWS OF IOWA. 



Toiua as a grass state. — The importance cf Iowa as an agricul- 

 tural state rests largely on the production of hay and grass. 

 Sage* states that the h^^y crop of Iowa for the year 1897 

 amounted to 5,301,404 tons, valued at §22,305,023. The pasture 

 crop is iDrobably equal w this, or greater. The hay industry, 

 including the grass grown in our pastures, supports a large 

 population. 



In the census of Iowa for 1895,+ the following totals are 

 given for the production of hay and grass for the state: Tim- 

 othy, 2 182,791 acres were cutforhay, witha product of 1,726,- 

 920 Ions, valued at 811,741,929; Hungarian and millet, 91,167 

 acres were cut for hay, with a product of 95^095 tons, valued at 

 $499,118; prairie grass, 1,760,159 acres were cut, with a product 

 of 1,266,688 tons, valued at S5,859,449; 2,689,699 acres of corn 

 were cut, valued at §9,262,534; 8,104 330 acres are devoted to 

 pasture, valued at $14,700,792. This makes a total of 14,824,- 

 146 acres devoted to pasture and meadow purposes. The total 

 product has a value of 142,063,822. The value of other grass 

 products is given in another coonec ion. Corn is the only 

 product that exceeds in value that of grass. 



The production of cultivated grasses has greatly increased 

 during the last decade. Statistics given in the census report 

 for 1880, by Hon. J. A. T. Hull,+ show that 3,613,941 tons of 

 hay were produced in the year 1879. At that time an enormous 

 amount of wild hay was shipped to Chicago and other points 

 from northwestern Iowa. 



Grasses. — Iowa has long been noted for its excellent pastures 

 and meadows. Before settlement began the greater portion of 

 Iowa was a great meadow, in which most valuable native 

 grasses flourished. The grasses were excellent. It was the 

 ideal land for the herdsman. Hay was cut in abundance every- 



*Report Iowa State Agrl. Soc. 1897. 158. 



?W. M. McFarland. Census of Iowa for 1895. 630 1896. Des Moines. 



+Oensusof Iowa. 1880: 258.261. 



19 



