Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-11-18
TOP DRESSING GRASS LANDS.

Now is the time to commence the prepara-
ton Of materials for this important work.
Some persons doubt whether the application Of
manure to the surface of grass land is the best
mode Of using 1t. This depends upon two or
three circumstances, viz:
1. Upon the nature of the soil.
2. Upon the time of application.
8. Upon the condition of the pressing.
Top dressing will continue to bring crop
longer on q moist soil than on dry one, first
because such land is the best adapted to grass,
and secondly, because the manure, by being
kept moist, is brought into state Of decom-
position, and becomes prepared as food for the
plants, instead of drying up. Top dressings,
therefore, for high lands, should be applied in
the spring, as early as March or the first part
of April, so as to receive the early rains, and
get thoroughly leached, and the cosrser parti-
cIes washed down among the roots of the grass,
before the hot and dry weather comes on. Or,
it may be applied-and perhaps with better
effect-late in November, when it will receive
the later rains and be leached by them, or be
covered with snow to be melted upon the dress
ing, and thus carry its fertiliEing properties
gradually to the grass roots during the winter
and spring.
1t is unpopular--we are fully swsre-to re-
commend top dressing for high and dry grass
lands; still we believe it to be profitable way
of fertilizing, when it is done judiciously. The
orror consists in cropping the land for many
years, without franuring until hot only the fer
| tilzing agents are exhausted, bat the roots of
| the grass thsmssLveS have either died for the
want of food or have been driven out by plants
| more hardy and persistent than themselves.
When a field is in this condition, it is folly to
| top dress it. There is no basis upon which to
act. The dressing eFas deferred too long
there is no recuperative power left. The rem
| edy fer such land is through the plough, ma
II nd ,,Ja oil
these, excepting the cultivation, which may be
omitted by turning over the sod and laying
down in August, or early in September.
In wet season something may be done on
| high land by spreading fine compost manure
literally, scattering on grass seed and harrow
i ing.
| Glover, sown early in April in this way, will
sometimes succeed we'll. If the farmer would
| be wstchful, manure his fields in season, occa
sionally scattering little seed over them
1 while producing liberal crops, he might save
considerable expense in ploughing and re-
| seeding. All this, however, should not pre-
| vent judicious rotation of crops, and, in turn
bringing the grass fields into cultivated ones
| which is undoubtedly the course that will Sc
cure the most certain profits.
The Time when top dressing should be ap
piled, is question upon which our best far
iners do not agree. What is needed, is q CO
pious rain Immediately after the dressing i
4 spread; but as we cannot command this, WI
must exercise sound judgment in the matte
and be content with the result If the com
post cart could follow that which carries ava,
the hay and a liberal shower fellow, perhap
there would be no better time to apply tn
dressing and in q moderately moist season
this course would succeed well. March an
April are 6 ,od seasons, but then the objection
exists Of cutting up the fields by the feet an
wheels of the team. In the autumn there
little danger Of this, unless the season be YER
wet, the more pressing work of the warm sea
son is out Of the way, and upon the whole, per
haps this is the best for this operation. Th
third point requiring care, is the condition 9
the dressing when it is used. If it should b
rich, that is, made Of good materials, and fer
mentation not carried so far as to set free II
gaseous properties, and then 1t should be fine
if as fine as sand 80 much the better. Thi
will allow Of its being spread evenly, and pre-
sent such a surface to the rains and dews as
have every part of it quickly penetrated an
its fertiliiing properties carried to the roo
beloW.-N. E. Farmer.