14 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



paring soils to receive the different varieties of seed, which was only 

 surface work. Yet what a luxuriant growth they obtained ! 



We will now pass over the intervening space of time, to more 

 recent date in the history of the cultivation of grass by the system 

 of surface-culture. Look at its history in England, Holland, Germany, 

 Scotland, and other progressive countries of Europe ! Land that has 

 not been plowed during the past 200 years, the rental value increas- 

 , ing in proportion to its age. Even in many of the New England 

 States, grass land that the virgin soil has never been broken by the 

 plow produces the very richest quality of grasses grown in these 

 states. 



We will now notice our experience in the improvement of grass 

 land in the North-West. In the year 1853 the writer located near the 

 city of Oshkosh, Wis. Heard the general complaint about the grow- 

 ing of tame grasses, and it was an admitted fact that Wisconsin was 

 never designed to become a dairy state of any importance, or even 

 the respected state of Illinois. It is wonderful to contemplate the 

 change that has taken place since that period to this time, relating to 

 the dairy interest, of which you are all informed as to its progress. 

 We know by experience that the looser we make the soil with the 

 plow we increase its capacity to receive heat, which will aid rapid 

 evaporation of moisture, so very essential to promote a strong growth 

 of vegetation, especially that of grass, which was one of the principal 

 causes in the loss of the young seeding in the early settlement of the 

 North-West. Again, another reason for the loss was this : Chemical 

 analysis of wheat and Timothy hay shows that they require about 

 the same elements from the soil to sustain a vigorous growth. Here 

 the farmer was disappointed in the unsatisfactory growth of his 

 favorite grass, which was timothy. The writer has a thorough agri- 

 cultural education, one naturally adapted to the growing of grasses. 

 Here on the old homestead was my instruction in the system of sur- 

 face-culture in the improvement of grass lands. At the time of 

 writing there is grass land that has never been broken with plow, 

 upon the old farm, yielding a very generous supply of grass, 

 very good in quality. About eight years ago was commenced the 

 work of improving the grass land in the North-West, with the view 

 of securing a smoother surface for the working of machinery requi- 

 site in securing a crop of hay. Our work was slow and expensive* 

 Only a few men could afford the expense, as the cost ranged from 

 $5.50 to $10 per acre for the labor and other expenses added thereto. 



