The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-12-21
Top.DREsslNG GRASS LAND.

The question is often asked, /" Is it profit
able to t0p-dress grass land with manure 7"
II so, What kind of land, what sort of ma
nure, and when shall il be done 7" In an.
swering these inquiries, shall give my own
experience and observation, which NAV or
may not agree with that Of others.
In the first place, as to the kind Of land
! praetlscd top dressing on moist land, too
wet 10 plough, such as was formerly, aud is
still in Western Massachusetts, called " ma.
tural moving" land that has never been
ploughed. My mode Of treatment was =
which was the same as practised by my
neighbors--to take the dung from the barn
yard, which had been thoroughly mellowed
or pulyerized. in the month of October or
November, and drop it upon the land in
small heaps at the rate Of from ten to fifteen
loads, Of thirty bushels each, per acre, and
spread it in the spring as soon as the frost
was out Of the ground. Experience subse.
quenty taught me that il is better to spread
1t in the fall. 4 top-dressing in this way
once in two years would give two crops per
annum, if not fed, the FIRST averaging two
tons per acre, and the second une. In this
way raised the greater part of my good hay
for stock Of about twenty head Of cattle
and horses, and about fifteen or twenty
sheep.
| had piece of plain land that had been
pIoughed, which was so situated that could
irrigate it, BY the application OF slight
top.dressing and the use OF water, | raised
at the rate Of about three tons to the acre Of
the first crop. The second crop was usually
fed off.
From my experience | think the better
time to apply top-dressing TO natural now
ing, that is to say, grass land that was never
ploughed, the latter part Of October or the
first part Of November. In this way il works
down among the routs of the grass aud is in
situation 10 cause il to start early and grow
rapidly in the spring. OF the economy Of
this mode of top.dressing have no doubt,
for my knowledge is the result of both ex-
perience and observation for nearly a quar-
ter Of century.
From an opportunity for obseryatonsthis
autumn, | have noticed in the Eastern part
Of Massachusetts, several instances Of the
top-dressing o. grass land. A farmer in
North Vassalborough. Me-, situated in the
valley Of the kennebec, showed me few
weeks since compost heap made OF leached
ashes. peat. Lime and manure, consisting al
three hundred loads. Of thirty bushels per
load. which be intends using as d top. dress
ing for grass land, which has been ploughed
aud seeded, al the rate nearly twenty loads
per acre.
! have known farmers to cart green ma
nnre in the spring, from the windows, as
thrown out from the stable, aud spread it
upon grass land with but little beneficial re.
suit. ltdried up aud was in condition TO be
gathered in hay time with the horse-rake,
aud carried into the barn in dried Jumps,
rather than in the form Of an increased crop
uf hay. This deem bad economy. When.
ever applied, whether 10 the fall or spring,
the manure should b. line. II Tie land /.
situated upon side.hill where liable To wash,
il may be best 10 apply .he manure in the
spring.
IN conclusion, | cIn confidently sly that !
have not applied manure 10 any eultiyable
land with mure satisfactory results than in
top.dressiug "naiuml moving" or grass
lands that are % situated as to be irrigated.
Now il the time to do this work on lands
that are level. provided the manure has been
pulyeriLed or reduced TO lineness, as il al.
ways should be before il is thus applied.
Cor. Boston CahitaiOr.