Census Bureau of 1890 gives the total number of sheep 
in the United States as 43,000,000, of a value of 116 
000,000 of dollars and cutting 290,000,000 pounds of 
unwashed wool. 
And just here in connection with the extension of 
grass culture on poor lands, much may be said in favor 
of green manuring as a preparation of lands to sustain 
a crop of grass. For example, it often occurs that thin 
.•ioils, which without the expensive stimulus of commer- 
cial fertihzers will not develop a luir sod of the standard 
perennial grasses, will yet grow a passable Spring crop 
of broadcasted corn to a height of two or three feet. 
This plowed down before Midsummer and the field 
again immediately broadcasted with a second sowing 
of corn to be ploAved down in Autumn and followed by 
a broadcasted crop of rye to be plowed down in Feb- 
ruary or March will be found to have a marvelous fertil- 
izing effect in sustaining grass or any other crop. The 
man who pursues such a course of rejuvenation of his 
land should have his taxes rei^iitted, for he is a good 
example in any locality and should be encouraged. 
The corn and rye system of green manuring knocks the 
slow process of clover renovation out of sight. Culti- 
vated grasses of biennial liabit are few of them, after 
being down for several years, entirely able to take care 
of themselves, but must be assisted "by harrowing and 
seeding on bare spots, top dressmg with fertilizer and 
rolling. Worn-out pastures can be renovated to a marked 
degree by the application of bone phosphates, dried fish, 
meat and blood, and the nitrate salts. Of late in Europe 
much attention has been directed to the use of a new 
fertilizer known as slag phosphate, a by-product of the 
Basic process of making Bessemer steel. This slag 
phosphate seems especially adapted for grass and its 
trial is recommended. 
Oyer three thousand varieties of plants of the grass 
family are known and described by botanists, and while 
by far the greater part are of such character as at once 
to remove them from the list of farm forage plants, 
there remains a vast number not cultivated, hardly 
tested, but worthy of experiment. The list of seeds of 
forage grasses offered by European seed merchants at 
the present day numbers over two hundred annual, 
biennial and perennial varieties ; but without doubt the 
number will ere long be considerably extended, for there 
are many wild forms of grass all over the world well 
worthy of propagation, for example, some of the wild 
grasses of Texas, Arizona and the Southwestern plains, 
rich when green and very nutritious in the Ibrm of self- 
dried hay. Many of these may be much improved by 
critical selection, hybridization and evolution and be 
fitted for cultivation in all high dry altitudes of the cot- 
ton belt. Among these wild" grasses of the plains the 
most common is the G ramma grass, a perennial on the 
heavier soils and known botanically as Bouleloua oligo.s- 
tachya. It is found on all the great plains of the South- 
west, growing in low cushion-like masses, forming a suc- 
cession of tussocks— a liabit rendering it unsuitable for 
mowing even if it grew tall enough for hay, which it 
does not. As a pasturage grass it" is highly nutritious 
and cures good hay on its own root. 
The next widely distributed variety on the prairie is 
the Buffalo grass known as Buchloe dadyloides, a 
THE GRASS QUESTION. 
57 
native of the plains from Texas up to Missouri. It is a 
perennial affording a reliable supply of forage. In drv 
ocations it is desirable as a lawn grass. It is of low 
liabit, seldom rising over fom- inches and is inchned to 
grow m tufts or patches. It is found in greatest 
breadths on the prairies in the vicinity of i\tesquit trees 
hence it is often called Mesquit grass. It possesses a 
root of long creeping habit and once established on 
congenial soil soon spreads over the land adjacent. 
Bearing fcAV seeds it is consequently best propagated 
by cuttings. When green it is sweet and nutritious, 
and dried as hay on the root is very palatable to cattle, 
During droughts when appearing to be about dead it 
springs into life upon a rain, becoming green in a few 
hours and developing with phenomenal rapidity. 
Either of these grasses no doubt can by selection be 
improved, as respects productiveness and durability— 
they are not referred to as the only ones or the best 
ones, but as examples of sorts already pastured upon by 
millions of horses, cattle and sheep.' Why should not 
these and others be brought to the Southeastern States 
as most efficient aids in the diversification of agricultu- 
ral practice ? 
Another American perennialgrass notgenerally known 
but of admirable character for Southern sections, is the 
Texas Blue grass (Poa arachnifera^, discovered on the 
prairies of that State in 1853. It blossoms there about 
the last of March and ripens its seed about the middle 
of April. Its habit in Southern States is much stronger 
than Kentucky Blue grass. In Texas, under tlie sever- 
est droughts, it sometimes lags a little, but after Autumn, 
rains quickly springs into most vigorous growth and 
continues to grow all Winter. It makes a'strong top 
growth for hay and a matted sod standing continued 
pasturing. It roots deeply and spreads rapidly by buds 
from long, strong, underground stems, which by their 
vigor resist the encroachment of Bermuda grass. Once 
established it will continue to stand for a lifetime. It 
is best propagated by cuttings of the roots, 20,000 set 
to the acre, or say one to each two square feet. Roots 
cost about $1.00 per 1000, seed about 32.00 per pound, 
six pounds being sown to the acre. 
These three and others will in time and before long be 
brought into general cultivation — indeed all of our cul- 
tivated grasses are selections from wild forms ; no doulit 
very inferior originally — for instance Timothy, now the 
leading hay grass north of the cotton belt, was foimd 
growing wild in the hilly or mountainous districts by the 
early American colonists and sent to England in 1763, 
where it at once assumed the highest rank overtlie four 
or five kinds of grasses then cultivated. Indeed up to 
1815 only four or five kinds were cultivated and it was 
not until the list of grasses was largely increased and 
root culture extended that British agriculture began to 
develop, for not till then were there increased opportu- 
nities for the extension of grazing and the winter sub- 
sistence of cattle. Red Top is another American grass, 
first cultivated about 1760 by the colonists. It was^ 
soon followed by the introduction to cultivation of 
Kentucky Blue grass, and subsequently Orchard grass. 
It will be noticed that the United States furnished 
four out of the five principal hay and pasturage ])ro- 
ducers used in agricultural ])ractico ; tli'.^ fourth, Red 
Postage Extra. On Pea.s mid Beans, 16 cents per quart, and Corn, 15 cents per 
5 cent and 10 cent Flat 
quart; oUior smaU seeds, 8 cents per pound. Quarter pound and under, ajid 
Tapers, Free of Postage. 
