The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-04-28
NEGLECT OF PASTURES.

The Maine Farmer says: No part OF The
farm in that Stale is more useful or profiia.
ble thar the pastures, and no par, OF our
farms, as general thing, is more neglected.
In the firsi place, we neglect them when
they are first cleared up and ready 10 sow a
sufficient variety, or a sufficient quantity o'
grass seeds. A friend Of ours who has ,rav.
elled in England, observing the different
modes Of firming among them, informs US
that their best pastures were originally laid
down with greater variety of grasses than
we ever think Of using. In the mex, place
we neglect, or rather abuse, our pastures by
overs,ocking them, thus carrying from them
much more than is returned. Again, n large
portion Of our pastures are shamefully neg,
lec,ed, BY allowing bushes, such as cedars
hardhacks, sweet ferns, alders and alsc
brakes, 10 usurp the place Of grass. We
know Of some, where these intruders take
up a: least thee quarters Of the territory, Sc
that, while the owner claims that his cattle
have the range Of twenty-five acres Of pas
,ure, they cannot craze bu, about eight acres
of grass, for there is no, more than ,ha, space
OCCUPIED by grass. A little attention and
labor in cutting these bushes, by burning
them off and scattering good supply oI
grass seed on these burn, places, would
greatly improve the premises.
Some asser, that cattle and other animals
tha, run in pastures, leave as much as they
take of. This may be partially true in some
instances, where cattle are not taken ou,
from the time they are put in until housing
time, but where they are taken ou, at nigh,
and yarded, as in the case with milch cows,
this cannot be true. There is thus gradu
al dminuiion Of the feriliiy-a slow bu
sure carrying away the elements necessary
10 keep up the growth Of grass, and nothing
returned. Now il will appear evident tt
every inquiring and reflecting mind, that i
will be necessary TO refund, in some shape
or other, sufficient, quantity OF material ,c
supply nourishment 10 the grass and o,he
herbage made use Of by the cattle tina, ea
il.
Your pasture land is the mill, and you
COW the operator 10 turn The grass into milk
butter and cheese. Now when the raw ma
,erial has become exhausted, your butter
mill must stop, or run feebly when the cot
ton or raw material is all gone. The die
,aies Of wisdom aud common sense would
be 10 supply an abundance OF materials fol
the operator TO convert into the articles you
desire.
I, would no, be very convenient, TO ma
nure pastures with animal manures from
the barn yard, unless they were plowed uF
and cultivated. AS most OF our pastures
canno, be conveniently cultivated, this mode
Of renovaiing them canno, be resorled to-
But, fortunately, there ars other modes o.
dressing lands, such as plaster Of paris
ashes, lime, salt, guano, superphosphaie o.
lime in the shape Of bones pulverized ard
prepared for the occasion.
Some one Of these may supply the place
Of the missing material, and keep up the
fertility Of your pasture, and consequently
the profits arising from grazing them. The
subject is worth much thought and careful
experimenting.