Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-02-28
Turning St2ck to Grass Early.

{ DEAR SIR in the last number of the
Farmer | noticed an article on turning stock
to grass early, and that you requested cor
respondents to give their experience on the
subject. Since then have talked with
some of our most experienced graziers, and
lind this opinion to be prevalent in this coun-
ty (Which annually fattcns for market up
ward of twenty thousand beeves, the earlier
cattle are turned to grass the better. When
commenced grazing four years ago, |
found this to be the general practice and |
followed 1t without making any experiment
myself but am informed by one Of my
ghbors-Mr. Charles } Stovin- VITO has
grazed Tor thirty years past on an average,
two hundred head Of cattle annually-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 otLer. The first lot
took start Of the other, and maintained it
tn ough the season, being ready for market
one mon sooner than the second lot.
\ gentleman by the name of Fletcher, in
the upper end Of this county, was in the hab-
it of reserying one Of his sod fields through
the winter, and turning out lot Of cattle
about the middle Of February. He was
thus enabled to send them TO market about
the first Of June when beef is gene ally
high. He was very successful grazier
There can be no doubt, whatever, as 10
the fact that, in our county, at least, the
sooner we can get them 10 grass in the spring
the better. The grass at that season is ten
der, and has the quality Of purg /, dc cat.
tie, ooseuing heir hides, AMI causing them
to shed of. 1t thus prepares their systems
TO take on lat rapidly as soon as the pastur-
age becomes stronger and more mature
Later il the season it seems to lose its quail
ty in measure. have known men to
turn their cattle on their meadows for eight
or ten days, early in The spring, 50 as to give
them start against the regular pasture be-
comes fit to turn on.
This is one Of the finest grazing sections
in the country The land seems to be nat
urally adapted to grass. running into sod
very quickly alter fallow. Ono Of my
I ueighbors-Mr. j. j. Hunton of Wood
stock has field of one hundred acres o.
grecuswarl, upon which he iattens from
eighty to ninety head Of cattle every year
and in O good grass season | have seen por
tons Of the field from which good swatf
/ Of grass might have been cut when the cat
tie were taken of in July. On the rest c
4 bis estate he fattens about two hundre,
head
On the adjoining estate of tirley, Mr.
+ Charles j. Stovin fattens about Two hundred
and ser EFT five h7 head lie bas fed Of
one hundred and fifty acres, on which this
spring he turned one hundred cattle and nine
ty sheep, and kept them there till the first OF
June, when portion of them were moved
off, The grass is now nearly knee'high over
the field.
There are sods in this county nearly fifty
years old, and so firm and strong that, to
quoe the language of our representative the
Hon. VIM. Smith, /" a bullock of thousand
weight may walk over them after a weeks
rain, without soiing his hoois more than a
Indy would soil her delicate satin slipper by
crossing Turkey carpet This may SOUND
like hyberbolc, but INTO all that doubt,
say, come aud see. "-R. ". DolCaman.