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!, 40 
MOORE’S RURAL KEW-YORKER 
JULY 4 
cdficltt dlroji'i. 
NATURAL INDIANA GRASSES AGAIN. 
Having read an article in the Rural 
New-Yorker of June <S, on page 3G6, written 
over the signature of “ Observer,” reflecting 
unfavorably on an article of mine in the 
Rural of April 25, page 268, please allow 
me to say a few words in defense of my po¬ 
sition, by referring to some of the many 
errors and misstatement* of said “Observer.” 
He says:—" First the dry lands of Northern 
Indiana were originally covered with heavy 
timber, consequently no natural grasses 
here.” 
Now, how does he know this? We have 
several fine, high, dry and rolling prairies, 
which seem to have had no timber upon 
them—at least for a thousand veal’s or more. 
Cau there not be natural grasses on them now? 
He says:—“The low, flat land known as 
prairie or marsh land produces the grasses 
alluded to as being so One for dairy pur¬ 
poses,” (making of gilt-edged butter, &c.) 
Now, l ought to know, and do know, better 
than he does what 1 alluded to. A perfect 
stranger to me, how can he know rny mind 
or divine my allusions? Rather a bold asser¬ 
tion for a stranger to make. He says:— 
“The marshes are very wet a greater por¬ 
tion of the year, and as a consequence the 
grasses known here as marsh grass is of the 
coarsest kind ; it grows very large, rough 
and wiry.” Now, in Kt. Joseph, Elkhart, 
La porte, Porter, and LakejCounties, there 
are but few strictly marsh lands; they are 
mostly high and low prairies, fine timber 
and bottom lands, and are mowed with a 
mowing machine, the hay raked up with a 
horse rake, hauled into barns or stacks, 
pressed and sent to many parts of the coun¬ 
try— much of it sold in Chicago, gome of it 
to lumbermen and sent north into the pine¬ 
ries. Surely the hay must be valuable to 
bear so long and expensive transport ation. 
I might, perhaps, better have confined my 
remarks to the. extreme Northwest of In¬ 
diana, thereby avoiding the neighborhood of 
Argos, which is in the lower part of Mar¬ 
shall County, about forty miles south of us, 
and from sixty to eighty feet, lower than wo 
are at South Bend. Again lie says:—“To 
give an idea or its fineness, the people that 
have fed timothy, clover and the like give it 
the vulgar name of ‘ rip gut,’and quite ap¬ 
propriate, too.” 1 will say we have no such 
weed or grass here. I never heard the name 
before, and on inquiry can find no one who 
has heard or knows anything about it. 
What little wire grass we formerly had has 
about all disappeared. 
The natural grasses I referred to grow on 
high and low prairie and bottom land, no 
water standing on them at all, and the 
grasses go by the name of blue-joint., orchard 
grass, bine-stem, spire grass, rad-top, Indian 
grass, June or blue gross, sweet-scented 
grass, wild timothy, white clover, and many 
other species and varieties of natural grasses 
(excepting rip gut ). 
Again he says:—“ It has not the delicate 
flavor of timothy, clover, red toil, Arc., but. 
more the perfume of weeds.” Now the per 
fume is fully equal to that of the cultivated 
grasses. I know from observation and much 
information that if timothy and clover hay 
bo thrown out to the cows, sheep and other 
stock, with hay made from the natural 
grasses, that the stock will leave the timo¬ 
thy and clover and go for the natural grass 
hs-v; and when that is all eaten up clean, 
then, If their hunger is not satisfied, return 
to the clover and timothy. So I judge t he 
stock prefer its flavor as well as its perfume. 
He further says:—“Our water (meaning 
near Argos, I presume) is hard lime water; 
no nice, cold spring water bubbling up from 
uuder the hills,” We also have water that 
is a little hard and « little limey, but much 
of it is cool and soft, running rapidly in the 
streams, having their source in springs on 
the sides or at the foot of hills from 50 to 100 
feet high and upwards. But we need not 
want for cool, soft, water, for by conducting 
raius from the roofs of ouv different build¬ 
ings into one or more large filtering and 
purifying cisterns, such as described in the 
Rural New-Yokkeu of September !>, 1871, 
page 155, we can have all the cool and pure, 
wholesome water desired for house, stock 
and dairy purposes, thereby improv ing the 
quality of the milk and the health of the 
stock. 
He also says:—“The natural grasses are 
good for raising stock, but a failure for nice 
butter and cheese.” I believe as a general 
rule the same feed which is good for raising 
stock and laying on good and wholesome fat 
will also eause the dairy stock to give good 
and wholesome milk, from which gilt-edged 
butter and fine cheese can be made, if the 
people only understand how to make it 
properly. True, there is a difference in feed 
as well as in cows; but among so many dif¬ 
ferent kinds of grasses, if a few should be 
poor, there will still be an abundance of ex¬ 
cellent feed left, from which to make gilt- 
edged butter and fine cheese, if properly 
utilized. The hay made from these natural 
grasses is preferred by many of our farmers, 
all of our livery-stable keepers, and I believe 
by the livery-stable keepers of his own coun¬ 
ty. In fact, this kind of hay has been sold 
in South Bend this spring as high as ninety 
cents per cwt., while thou winds of tons are 
rotting on the ground for want of having 
been gathered in proper season. 
Next he speaks of the beauty of the coun¬ 
try, its fertility and great productiveness, 
which cannot be surpassed any where east of 
the Rooky Mountains for raising the differ¬ 
ent kinds of grain. He says“ Many farm¬ 
ers in this section (and all could it they 
would) raise from thirty to thirty-five bush 
els of choice winter wheat per acre, from 
eighty to one hundred bushels of corn, and 
from ttvo hundred to three hundred bushels 
of potatoes per acre. The land is rich, 
nearly free from stone, and easily tilled. 
Fruits, such as apples, pears, cherries, plums, 
peaches, grapes and all kinds of berries 
grow luxuriantly. In fact 1 know of no sec¬ 
tion of the country where all the different 
kinds of grain and fruit* grow in greater 
abunduuce or of better quality.” 
It. seems to me that “Observer” spreads 
It. on rather t hick in speakiug of the wheat 
and corn per acre. Yet I w ill not contradict 
him, for 1 have known several instances of 
the. like in St. Joseph County. But they are 
the exception rather than the rule; yet with 
proper cultivation on rich soil, the average 
of wheat per acre might reach twenty bush¬ 
els and corn sixty. In writing of the nat¬ 
ural grasses of the extreme northwestern 
part of Indiana, I kept clearly within bounds, 
did not over-state their value ; whereas, 1 
fear that “Observer” has exceeded the 
proper bounds, while writing of wheat and 
corn in his section. 
But I shall write no more at present, on 
this subject, as 1 do not desire to occupy so 
much valuable space in so important, a paper 
as the Rural New-Yorker, hoping that all 
who feel sufficiently Interested in the mat¬ 
ter, will come here, examine and inform 
themselves, Khould “Observer” come out 
again by way of answer or further explana¬ 
tion, 1 hope he will give us his real name 
and occupation, so that we may the better 
judge what lie is driving at, and not screen 
himself behind the nom de plume of “Ob¬ 
server.” Isaac Esmay. 
South Bend,Indiana. 
- *-*♦ - 
FIELD NOTES. 
Trifolium Incarnaf.utn.— Please give a de¬ 
scription in the Rural New-Yorker of 
“Italian clover” (Trtfolium inmrnutum) as 
advertised in Henderson’s Catalogue, pres¬ 
ent year, page 30.— Adam Jones. 
It is what, is known as the flesh-colored, 
flowered Trefoil. We take it you do not ask 
for a technical botanical description, hence 
we do not give it.. It is a native of Southern 
Europe, in sub-humid meadows. Its flower:, 
are crimson, red, flesh-colored and white. 
It is said to be an elegant plant when in 
bloom. Of course cattle like it, but being 
an animal plant it can have no value as a 
forage crop in this country compared with 
the perennial varieties. It is doubtless ad¬ 
vertised by Mr. Henderson because of its 
ornamental character rather than for its 
utility. 
Kentucky Blur, Grass. — Inclosed I hand 
specimen <>£ natural grass (to this section) and 
wish to get proper name and where to get 
the seed in quantity. The farmers bere- 
ubi nits give it different names. My Object j? 
to get It to sow with orchard grass, as it 
comes hi at the same time.— C. li. STEWART, 
Culpepper Co., Vo, 
The gras 3 which you inclose is the com¬ 
mon Kentucky Blue Grass, (Poa protemis). 
The seed can be purchased at idmost any 
seed store. 
Tobacco in Connecticut —The Homestead 
says that less than one-half as many acres of 
tobacco are growing in the Connecticut 
Valley this as were grown last. year. The 
low price of the weed, the lateness of the 
season, and the difficulty of getting plants 
are the causes. 
Hungarian Grans .— (Jno. B. Snyder.)— 
You can probably get the seed of B. K. 
Buss & Sons, James Fleming, Peter Hen¬ 
derson, or of any other seedsman of this 
city or any other city. It is an annual 
plant. You should not sow clover with it. 
JlfitltJjfljial ®0J)it[J5. 
A PICNIC AT BEACON FARM. 
Thursday, June 18, the Rural Club of 
New-York were the guests of Beacon Farm, 
and enjoyed a delightful picnic on the 
grounds of Mr. C. H. Delamater. The 
party, 50 ladies and gentlemen, left New- 
York at 8:30 o’clock, and after a pleasant 
sail of 40 miles landed in front of Mr. Dkla- 
mater’s palatial refidence, where two hours 
were pleasantly spent in viewing the prem¬ 
ises and in lunching. Carriages were then 
provided for a ride over the farm, which is 
a kingdom by itself, being almost surrounded 
by water and almost entirely tile property 
of Mr. Delamater. The ride, a circuit of 
four miles, through groves, and meadows, 
and pastures, and cultivated fields, over 
hills and through dales, now in full view of 
the Sound, again of Northport Bay, with 
here and there glimpses of white-wiugod 
ships, and steamers, and vistas of shining 
water, ripening grain and waving grass, 
wild flowers in abundance, cattle and sheep, 
and a wealth of verdure everywhere, was 
one full of delicious enjoyment and never to 
be forgotten. 
A halt of a half hoar was made at the 
home of William Crozikr, whore the party 
were made welcome by the man under 
whose magic hand Beacon Farm has been 
changed from being almost a wilderness to 
be one of the finest and most productive 
estates in America. 
The famous dairy house was visited uuder 
the lead of Mrs. Crozikr, and here the ladies 
of the club reached the zenith of their ad¬ 
miration in praise of the dairy and the un¬ 
assuming natural grace and refinement of 
the lady who presides there. From the 
dairy house Mr. Crozikr led the Club to the 
stables, end that long, unexcelled line of 
cows were seen—a row whose beauty and 
condition drew from the entire party un¬ 
stinted praise. 
There must have been 100 acres at least of 
orchard grass, breast high, ready to be cut. 
Not less than 20 acres of clover were already 
down, and in one part of the field the tedder 
was lifting the heavy swaths up to the sun, 
and in another the sulky rake was rolling up 
huge winnows. The long rows of roois, 
straight as an arrow flies, attracted attention, 
while the wide stretch of fodder corn and 
vetches now being fed to the cows told the 
secret of their contentment and success. 
Great piles of muck and manure adorned 
the farm, and the aspiring grass and grain 
iooked up to them with a familiar nod. It 
is impossible in this brief sketch to tell all 
that was seen and admired at Beacon Farm. 
At 5 o’clock the party re-embarked, and, 
after fitting words of thanks and good-by 
had been spoken, the steamer’s bow was 
headed for New York. At 0:30 an elegant 
lunch was served, and two hours afterward 
the Rural Club were back, carrying home, 
each one, a delightful remembrance of a day 
and a picnic not to be forgotten.. K. D. C. 
A SERMON ON DEAD SEEDS. 
BY JACOBUS BLANC. 
(< IV hat shall it profit a man if he gain the 
whole world and lose his own soul ?” 
My friends, seed gatherers and seller?, f 
you are dishonest, tills sermon is for you, if 
you have “ears to hear.” 1 shall now call 
your attention to the solemn advice given 
by Betsy Thotwood to David Copper field 
in these remarkable words : “Never,” she 
said, “ never do a mean thing; never be 
false ; never be cruel.” 
Now, if there is anything meaner than 
that of bringing to market an article made 
from common sugar, flavored with a small 
quantity of maple sap, and selling this mix¬ 
ture for maple sugar, it is the business of 
putting into the market for sale old and 
worthless seeds. 
Every seed vender knows that seeds kept 
beyond a certain period lose their vitality. 
Knowing this, why put into the market a 
worthless thing which the grower knows to 
be worthless ? Why take the poor man’s or 
poor woman’s money without giving some 
value in return ? Why cause these people to 
spend their time tuid labor in vain ? The 
answer can only be :—The love of money, and 
the willingness of mind to become mean, 
and false, and cruel to obtain it. But, my 
friends, you may strive to take much satis¬ 
faction over gains thus ill-gotten, but know 
you that you arc internally a picture of 
meanness, and that this meanness, like a 
hidden disease in the body, will one day give 
you trouble ; it will give you trouble, be¬ 
cause God will one day judge this meanness 
by His own light; you will see it in its own 
ugliness. 
The man who steals is a thief ; but he who 
defrauds indirectly under the show of busi¬ 
ness and traffic becomes not only a thief, 
but the meanest of all thieves. The man 
who steals directly knows from whom he 
Steals, and if he repent*, may make restitu¬ 
tion and bo forgiven; but the man who 
commits the kind of fraud mentioned can¬ 
not know who his victims are, and so cannot 
make restitution if he wishes to, and hence 
any repentance must remain, more or less, 
Imperfect. But, my friends, still, if you 
wifi heartily repent of this wickedness by 
ceasing longer to do the evil and by learning 
to do well, you may ultimately escape from 
the limbo into which your former meanness 
has placed you. You will also have learned 
the lesson that there is no gain or profit in 
wrong doing; that the lose of manhood is 
far greater than the. gain of money. When 
manhood is destroyed the man is lost, and 
all the riches of the world cannot restore 
him. So that we may respond to the text 
and say, “Surely if a man by hie meanness 
shall deface and destroy the beautiful man 
hood given to him, it shall profit, him nothing 
if he gain the whole world.” 
This sermon ha3 been preached in the hope 
that it may help to give ns pure sugar, living 
seed?, and honest dealers. Therefore, “ he 
that hath ears to hear let him hear.” Amen. 
WAGES OF FARM LABORERS. 
In the Rural New-Yorker of April 25, 
over the signature of “ A Subscriber,” we 
are treat ed to an essay on the difficulty of 
procuring farm laborers. He says the diffi¬ 
culty is in wages. We say that to-day farm 
laborers are the best-paid class of laborers, 
when it is considered how much it lias cost 
them to gain a knowledge of their vocation, 
and the consequent risk of life and limb 
while employed, and the incidental expenses 
to which mechanics’ wages have to cont.rib 
ute. 
Take two young men of equal strength 
and good health. One hires out on the farm 
for one year for $200 and board ; the other 
Lires to a carpenter for the season at #1.50 
per day, each to commence work on April 1. 
The one who goes with the carpenter will 
require to furnish about #50 worth of tools 
before he can earn one dollar. He will 
probably have work 20 days out of the 
month until Nov. 15; in that time he will 
have earned $225 ; after that time he must 
board himself at an average of $12 per 
month, at cheapest, which will amount, to 
$154 for board till April 1, when his wages 
will have been reduced to $171. Now, as¬ 
suming that each spends £50 for clothes, the 
carpenter wifi have left $121, while the farm 
hand will have $150 to put out to accumu¬ 
late. 
In reference to papers and books, I am 
sorry that in what he says thpre is too much 
truth. His fourth clause is too good a pic¬ 
ture, and reminds us of a passage of Scrip¬ 
ture concerning a “prophet not receiving 
honor among liisown people but the truth 
is, clerks and mechanics at e brought, in con 
nection with &o many people that their de¬ 
velopment of sociability has become so much 
larger than it. haaiu the farm hand that they 
outshine him, though he may be the smart¬ 
er of the two. 
About the pay business 1 cannot speak. 
My help is paid when the work is done ; and 
when 1 worked out, either the cash or a 
good interest-bearing note balanced the 
books. When 1 wanted money I generally 
got it ; and if inquiries were made as to 
what I would do with it, I told them that I 
was of age. The rainy days in the fall, and 
the free and easy manner of working when 
work does not press, makes up for the extra 
exertion in harvest. 
Friend, stand on your own feet; if others 
meddle, politely let them know that yon 
conduct your own business ; cultivate your 
social qualities ; make others know you are 
a man, and my word for it, you will be re¬ 
spected, loved, and esteemed for u-hnt yon 
arr. Miles H, Delong. 
Washington Co., N. Y. 
•-- 
Top-Dressing Grass Land. —The Massa¬ 
chusetts Ploughman considers fall the best 
time for top-dressing grass lands, but thinks 
that if any one has manure to spare, just a* 
the grass is starting into growth, it will not 
be wasted if applied then, but that the grass 
will grow up around it, giving it shade, 
keeping it moist, and preventing loss by 
evaporation. It. is now too late to apply it 
for the first crop, but if fine manure should 
be evenly spread over the surface, as soon 
as the first crop is removed, it would be a 
great help to the aftermath, 
j 
t 
r- X'-'T. 
