, 1858-06-04
AgficuItuFs.


MnAmDNVu 8N@-ANS
Meadows that yield less than ton Of hay
per acre should not be tolerated sat oil, at
ALL" Those which yield one and half or
two tons are barely passable; and no farmer
of proper ambition or enterprise will be
couteuted until he makes his meadows yield
larger crops than the highest just named.
Much larger crops are produced, as those
who have read the account Of Major Dickin-
sons farm have had an opportunity of know
inc: and while he and others are obtaining
from their meadows crops Of grass which are
eoual to three and even more tons Of hay
per acre, how can farmers Of any proper
spirit Of ambition and enterprise rest con-
tented until they have done everything within
the limits Of their knowledge and power to
bring up their gr0sP lands to somewhat
similar condition as to fertility and produc-
tireness2 We are well aware and willing
to acknowledge that without the means Of
IRRIGATION and some other favorable circum-
stances, which cannot be commanded by every
farmer, crops as large as Major DickinsOn's
cannot be secured but If the high aim Of
coming as near as possible to his uncommon
averages in the production Of grass and hay
were 10 be kept constantly before the eye,
and IL this high aim were "backed up" by
diligence in searching for more and more
knowledge through observing and expert
menting, by good Judgment aid by perse-
vcrance in efforts to reach this aim, we can
see no reason why this uncommonly high
rate Of productivenessmight not be approach
ed gradually from year to year, as the know
ledge Of how to do it and the means Of doing
it come by degrees into tho possession Of
those making the attempt
The foregoing considerations are submitted
mainly for the purpose Of kindling desire
and determination to do better than the
bulk Of farmers seem contented to do and
Of awakening an ambition to get up as near
as possible to the heights Of excellence in
agricultural skill and success, which have
been reached by the foremost Of the farming
fraternity. se<S7i
Taking il for granted that such deterni-
nation and such an ambition have aroused
energies which had hitherto been dormant,
we propose to make few suggestions which
may assist, not those who have already en-
tered upon career Of Improvement in the
management Of their meadow and pasture
lands, but those who have just formed . de.
termination 30 to do.
l.. Our first suggestion to such, and to all
who are dissatisfied with the scanty crops
which they obtain from their grass, is this |.
Endeavor to discover the cause or causes Of
the infertility Of which you complain, or
which you would remove. There may be
too much stagnant water, or the ground may
be hard or baked from stock treading and
pOaching il when wet, or IL, may be hide
bound, or the grasses may have beon injured
BY being gnawed down too close in autumn
or spring, or they maybe suffering from
want Of sufficient nutriment in the soil, much
more having been taken from Il in the crops
than has been returned to It in manurial ap-
plications Of any kind. You may not be
able to determine exactly to which Of these
or other causes the scantiness Of your crops
may be owing; but you must get as near as
possible to the true cause !. formtil thecauses
Of an evil, whether ii be disease Of body or
HHsleI - Z