The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-07-27
LOUIS o. COWAN,
VOLUME XVI.

sward has seldom been formed again. Much
of "natural moving" so called, in the hill
ly PARTS of Massachusetts,, Connecticut, etc.,
was never plowed, and il is considered better
for hay than similar land which has been
Vowed.
IL is admitted that some shrubs are very
tenacious of life; but they cannot long bear
cutting close TO the ground every year, in
August, whether il is done in the "Old' or
the ..new" of the moon. Cutting the BUSH
es strengthens the growth Of grass, and this
in turn hastens the death Of tho bushes. In
some instances it is desirable to aid the grass
by rome top-dressing. Plaster has been used
in this way with great advantage on some
soils, and as we have before stated, it is the
cheapest application that could DO made
On soils TO which it is adapted, 1t produces
80 firm a turf that nothing else will grow in
IL.
Sheep may be put on bushy pastures to
advantage. IL the bushes are cut every
year, the sheep will crop the tender sprouts
to such a degree that il greatly wcakens their
vitality; while at the same time the grazing
increases the growth OF the grass and white
clover, which, as before remarked, end to ex-
terminate the bushes. IL is somewhat SIN
rular fact, but one well established, that
land grazed by sheep rather improves IN Ter,
tility. There are thousands OF acres oil land
in Wales and Scotland, ON which sheep have
been kent for thousands of years (ior aught
that is known To the contrary without the
application of any other manure than that
dropped By the animals, and yet the growth
OF rriss Is undiminished. There are instan-
ccs in our own country of sheep being kept
a long time ON land, with no diminution in
the growth Of grass.
Various experiments show that sheep may
be made an important means OF improving
PASTURES. We have several times alluded to
the experiments Of X. 5. Fay, ESP, at Lynn.
In late conversation with that gentleman,
he mentioned plan which he had in view
for improving rough pasture, lying ut u
distance from his homestead. lie said he
intended to put on 80 many sheep that they
would cat every thing that was eatable on
the land, and should give them oil cake
enough to iltteu them. Thus he would have
the wild vegetation billed, and the land
made rich by the oil cake manure, which
would insure good growth Of the right kind
Of heritage. The idea strikes us iiNorably {;
we cannot see why something like this may
not be done extensively. 1t might be well to
conhne the sheep at night by hurdles ON the
spots which most need manure-shiiting from
place to place rs the requisite dressing has
been applied.
Ii would be we'll, also, to make some ex-
pcriments in the application of substances as
top dressings. We have already spoken of
plaster. Wood ashes, leaehed and unleached,
may DO tried. but il should bc remembered
that they will not do much good on wet land.
Superphosphate of lime may prove to be a
cheap fertilizer ON some pastures. Any OF
these things may be sown at first in narrow
bre.idths across the fields. \ dollars worth
used in this way will afford a pretty fair in
iieation Of the profit or lOSs.-BOston Cal-
49,