Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-11-25
From the New England Farmer.
How to Doctor Sick Pastures.

DeIore prescribing loT u pauCnl, we must
understand his disease. There are several
reasons why old pastures do not produce
feed. A prominent reason is that the vaua-
bic grasses, such as timothy, rcd-top, and
clover, from various causes, soon run out,
and require to be renewed. Tim othy,
which we at the North call herds-grass, al
though strictly perennial, is usually short
lived. it has a bulbous root, which is often
pulled up by cattle in feeding, is peculiar
ly liable to be thrown out by frost and to be
destroyed by drought. The red clover is a
biennial and ought to die the sacond year,
though ifnot permitted TO seed il lives long
er. Red-top, which is more hardy than ei-
ther, is perennial, but, like all other gras-
ses, nourishes better when occasionally re-
newed from seed. In closely fed pasture.
little Of any kind of grass can mature its
seed so that when the roots are once de-
stroyed by any of the ellis that grass is heir
to-" Nature has no means left TO supply the
vacuum which philosophers say she SO ab-
hors, and the ground is ready, like other
idle bodies, for any mischievous employ
ment, such as raising thOrns and ,histles.
Then again there is a principle of rota-
tion manifest as well in ali natures works,
as in political operations. If a pine forest
is cut off. a hard wood growth usually sue
ceeds; if hard wood lot is cleared, pine
usually springs mp in its place. This is
chiefly owing to the fact that the elements
OF fertility which promote the growth Of the
pine are in some measure different from
those which promote the growth Of the cali
or maple, and, while the one set have been
for ages exhausted to some extent, the 9TH
er have been at the same time ancumula-
ting. So with the grasses. They grow for
time luXurantly, eXhausting the peculiar
elements which constitute their substance,
and other plants, creeping vines, MOSES,
and the like, take their place, and no valua-
bic food is produced.
1t may be suggested that, in pastures
where cattle run through the season night
and day, this exhausting process would not
takeplace, because all that's taken from land
Is returned TO it. This would be a fair an
swer were it true that the manure is re-
turned TO the same place where the grass
grows and evenly spread and Incorporated
with the soil.
In that way the pasture would be always
productive, but in truth the manure is left
chiefly in particular localities, about water
ing places, under shade trees, or sheltered
| places; and, if left where it is needed, il is
in condition to be mostly wasted by evap-
oration. No farmer would expect much
advantage from top dressing, applied as the
cattle apply it to pastures.
Again, COW pastures, from which the
cows aIe taken at night, and TO which they
are returned in the morning, without being
fed, are systemical!y robbed OF so much OF
the elements Of fertility as constitute the ma.
nure left in the yard, and the milk. Mill
contains. among other elements, large
qjMniity of phosphoric acid and lime, ele
ments which enter largely into the structure
Of all the valuable grasses and constitute ;
large proportion Of the bones Of all animals
Old COW pastures become in time so eX
4. haHsted Of these element that cows fed upoI
'SIieh pastures suffer for materials frou
1~%Ach TO make milk, and supply the mean
Of growth for their bones and those OF thti>
calves, whether born or unborn. As they
cannot get their supply in homeopathic do
see IN the grass, they frequently are seel
chewing old bones. The farmer calls thi,
the bone disease, and so it is; and the rene
dy is very simple. 1t is to give the ANNA
a small quantity of bone dust, daily, whic!
she will eat greedly. 1t is kept at Rug
giles, Nourse, Mason, s Co.'S, Boston, pre-
pared for the purpose.
The growth of bushes, of various kinds
; which shade the land, and exhaust lis mois
ture. and nourishment by means of thei
roots, is another manifest obstacle 10 III,
growth of sweet and nourishing feed.
g Having thus ascertained the nature Of TN
: disease with which our old pasture is at
' tlcted, the theory of the remedy will b
very apparent, although the practicability q
it must depend somewha. onthe constitute
= Of the patient.
i Fortunately, however, for this kind c
j practice, old age is not incurable, olthoug
!; being chronic disease, ii requires thoroug
= treatment Medea is said TO have renewe
e the youth of old Aeson, by drawing all tn
e blood froom his veins, and filling them wit
p the juice of certain herbs. The blood ha
c already been drawn our of our patient, an
e we have only to supply the juice of tn
II proper herbs.
5, lfyour old pasture can be plowed, p,o,
d 1t IN the fall, and seed II down any time be
i fore the ground freezes, with herd-grass an
e red-top Clover should not be sowed in al
J. tumn, as it will not endure the winter, BIT
e may be sowed in spring, on the late snow
'f | use twelve quarts of herd.grass, one busl
t, el of red-top, and six pounds OF clover t
n the acre. A sprinkling of winter rye woul
- add much to the next years feed. Manur
g OF some kind should be narrowed in befor
II sowing, and the kind must depend upon lc
!, eality and convenience.
Il Every forty gallons of milk contains on
|, pound OF bone earth, which is chiefly pho.
e phate OF lime. A cow which gives two ga
e Ions per day for six months would carr
,f away from the pasture in that form alon
IS nine pounds of bone earth, as much as
J. contained usually in twelve pounds of bon
dust. Milk contains besides phosphori
acid and lime, appreciable qualities of POI
a ash, soda, magnesia, oxide Of iron, sulphr
10 ric acid. and chlorine.