Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1863-03-27

rnrroreuent Of Pastures.

The condition o; The pastures IN many Of
the older dairgiuS districts Is sad sPccta-
&c. Farms that would once carry forty
COWS. and make eight tbousand pounds Of
butter. will not nov support half that nun
Der. In the tmiiis- language Of these dis
tricts. the land has ben ''co~ed % death.
The pastures have beea fed BY COWS from
time imnem0riAl. receiving Only the ma
nure dropped BY the animals during the
dav. Thrce-fourths Of al that the land
produccd Wa carried away % the ward. and
none q this came back. The sol c-ew
thin. and the grasses died out for want Of
nourishment. What can be done 10 bring
Up such pastures?
An ounce Of practice Is said 90 be worth
a pound Of theory. IL Is. undoubtedly. 81
Of the night kind In the spring Of lS6o
the writer came into possession Of a two
aere lot % Rundown meadow. IL ~as used
a. = pasturc. because there was not grass
enough upon Il to pay for cutting. As il
vas convenient 70 the house. / used II for
yArding the COWS a; night. They were pas
tured elsewhere part Of The time. and thus
a. the products OF these two acres. and
nearly four more beside. were dropped up
on the sol By the cattle. There has been
very great Improvement in the Weld al
grass the past season. and the lot II used
for meadow another year. vii probably cut
twice as much hsy a. Il did in the summer
u 1850. The whole secret q the improve
ment l.. that more has been returned 70
tie sol than has been taken away.
\ similar Improvements j. witnessed in
pastures devot- to sheep. Il thcy arc not
f-d too closely. Everything The land pro-
dsoes is returned % il BY the sheep. to-
gether With a good deal The land would not
get. ba; for the intervention q The feeding
animals. Il j. sometimes claimed thar
nothing . gained % the land by passing tbe
crops through 10 bodies OF animals. thai
hundred pounds Of hay rotted uron tie
LAID. j. worth Just a. mach a. The hundred
pounds fcd OFT and returned in the shape
81 manure. Bat this cannot d. -. sor the
animal draws some elements % rs BODY
from ar and water. A. wei a. hay. While
the manure quickens the energies % thc
SOL, a. the rottcn hay would not.
Il j. vel known IN thc districts devoted
o the feeding Of fai cattle. on the ridges ~
Dutchess and Putnam counties. and tie
western part q Connecticut. that lands
once poor. or nearly run out by hard crop
ping or PAsturiug. have bcea brougii up u
very great fertility. by plaster and feeding
animals. Fron one % two busLcls o. plas-
ter per acre ar sown every year. AID fat
tening cattle three years old aud upwarI
are kept in them from spring until fall
Whoa the animals arc turned IN thcv have
49,. s.-.-.S- =.--=11y 80. 49, 49, e. 20
great tratt upon the sol for bone earth
The whole q the crass is rcta-nel % ihe
soI IN the manure, except the Ettlc armed
of On the gam ~ the cattle. Sometirae,
change of stock from COWS % fatteu.ar
baliocks. or % sheep. Will be al that Of.
necessary for Improving a worn OCT pas
turc. Il COWS are kept. thcrc must d. top
dressing. or alienation from pasture o.
hoed crops. viii heavy raauurinr. II tLe
land IS not arabic. top-,ircssing with CON-
post. % with plaster in districts uierc 10
does good. vii be- sufEcieut
rConnecticlf