Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-14
THE AGRICULTURIST.


1913
The Amsriean Farmer publishes communication
from Mr.. 4. W. DowxMAS, of Fauquier county, Va.
the subject of turning stock to grass early, which
it strikes US, is worthy of mature consideration By
our farmers and graziers. We will not undertake
to say how general the contrary opinion to that en-
tertained and praetced upon by the grazers of Eau
qaier county may be, but VIC know there are many
good farmers who, thinking the early spring grass
too weak and watery to do their cattle any good
make it point Of good management to keep THEN
stock away from the grass Lest it take away their
appetite for the more sui ssantiaI hay; and for tbs
sake, at the same time, of saving their grass and
converting into manure their old stock of prov
ender, prolong the feeding season into late
spring. They overlook the suggestion of ma
ture in the craving appetite for something green,
so familiar to man as well as beast in early
spring. That it is her wise appointed way of pre-
pairing the system for the great change from the ar
tifcial method Of winter feeding to her own mode
Of building up the bodily frame en- full supplies of
matured grass by grazing, The fact stated by Mr..
DowSMAS is not to be overlooked, that after GER
tain time the spring grass loses its quality of purp-
ing and the attendant effect of 'loosenng their hides
and causing them to shed off''--a most important
preparation to the subsequent laying on of fiesh and
fat. The following is Mr.. DowSxAs's communlca-
ton:
AyESEI. FAuouIER Co, Va, July Q, 1860.
To the Editor Of the American Farmer:
DEAR Sir: In the last number Of the Farmer no.
tced an article on turning stock TO grass early and
that you requested your correspondents to give
their experience that subject. Since then have
talked with some of our most experienced graziers
C..J - - L = IL.
(Which annually fattens for market upwards of
10000 beeves that the earlier cattle are turned to
grass the better. When commenced grazing four
years ago. found this to be the general practice and
followed it without making any experiment myself
but am informed by enc Of my neighbors-Mr
Chas. ]. Stovin, who has grazed for thirty years
past an average, two hundred head of cattle an
nually-that he has seen the experiment tried. Two
lots of cattle, equal in all respects and which had
been wintered alike, were selected in the spring,
and one lot turned to grass ten days earlier than
the other. The first LOT took start of the other
and maintained it through the season, being ready
for market one uaoath sooner than the second lot.
A gentleman by the name of Fletcher, in the up
per end of this county, in the habit of reserv-
ing one Of his sod fields through the winter and
turning out lot of cattle about the middle of Feb
ruary. He was thus enabled to send them to mar
ket about the first of June, when beef is generally
high. He was very successful grazier.
There can be no doubt whatever as to the fact
Our COuuty dt least, tHe bOOHeP we can get
them to grass in the spring the better. The grass
at that season is tender, and has the quality of
purgng the CATTLE oosening their hides and causing
them to shed Off 1t thus prepares their systems to
take on fat rapidly soon the pasturage becomes
stronger and more mature. Later in the season it
seems to lose this quality in measure. have
known men to turn their cattle on their meadows
for eight ten days, early in the spring. so as to
give them start against the regular pasture be-
comes fit to tnrn on.
This Is enc OF the finest grazing sections in the
country. The land seems to be naturally adapted
to grass, running into cod very quickly after fall
low. 0ae Of my nsighbors--Mr. ]. ]. Hunton, of
Woodsiock--has Held Of 100 acres Of greeusward,
upon which be fsttens from 80 to 80 head Of cattle
every year; and 10 good grass season / have seen
portions of the field from which = good sEsth of
grass might have been cut when the cattle were
taken of n July. On the rest Of his estate he
fattens about 200 head. EeH
On the adjoining estate Of Airley, Mr.. Charles
]. Stovin fettens about 275 head Hehas field $50
acres which thisspriBg he turned 90 cattle and
80 sheep, snd kept them there until the FIRST Of June
when portion Of them were novel of. The grass
is now nearly knee high over the field.
There are sods in this county nearly City years
old, and 50 firm and strong that, to quote the
language of our Representative, the Hon. VIM.
Smith, 50 bullock of thousand weight may
walk over them, after q weeks rain, without
soiling his hoofs more than lady would soil her
delicate satin slipper BY crossing q Turkey car
pet" This may sound like hyperbole, bat unto
sll that doubt I say ''cOme and see."
r. W. DowANAN.