Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-10
Agricultural.
Management of Pasture Lands.

At the New York State FAIR, one evening
was devoted to the discussion OF the question,
fought pastures for dairy TO be kept psrma-
nenty in grass, or to be renewed by blowing and
re seeding?" The meeting Was opened by the
reading OF most able paper by X. A. Willard,
of Little Fslls AS introductory Mr., W. re-
marked that the territory which may properly
be called the dairy region Is small with marked
geographical features. Land generally hilly,
springs and living water abundant, situated
where frequent summer rains, and long contin-
ued winter SHOWS operate to protect the roots of
grasses, and secure q perfect growth OF fresh
and nutritious yerdure. Our limits compel US
to omit portions OF the address which we should
be glad to publish.
Now what are we to do with pasture lands
that begin to tail from over-croppng or from
other causes Shall we pillow them up and re-
seed, or shall we adopt some other mode OF reno
walton? | know OF pastures that have been IL
grass Tor sixty years and upwards, and to-da1
show no signs OF failure. Wherever have beer
through the dairy region find these pastures
and 1t is tae universal testimony of those VIII
have them that they are yielding better return
in milk than any recently fe-seeded grounds.
have seen old pastuers plowed and lc-seedcd an
put in meadow, or moving, when the annua
crop for . lew years was large, but when pu
back again in pasture gave poor returns and too
years in obtaining nice thick sod. This ma
not always be the case but it is frequent, and
am inclined to think general.
1t may be said that the fault lay in re-seeC
ing,-that great variety oil seed should hay
been sown, timothy, the covers, orchard pras
blue grass, red top, &c Our farmers general,
believe, seed mostly with timothy, clover AT
red top, using the ground at first for meadow
and afterwards for pastures. What we wal
isa variety OF grasses springing up in successio
and those that will bear cropping so that pa
lures will afford good fresh bite from May
November. Old grasses are generally filed wit
variety Of plants that are adapted to the sol
ard in blowing and taking oil grain Crops al
then re-seeding, the conditions or elements
fertility are somewhat changed, so that ante
pated results are not always obtained. 10 Is,
plowed up az old meadow, about two acres
which was yielding large crops Of timothy Al
clover, but 50 situated in the field that the HI
crop could not be got Of in time. took fro
these two acres the first year, $50 bushels
corn and the second year 100 bushels of barls
when the land was seeded down with timot
and clover. For two or three years it did Il
produce satisfactorily, though receiving ,
usual dressing of plaster, and ! top dressed
with stable manure perbars 20 loads to t
acre. but without getting the large crops
gtsss that did before reseedng. Some min
al element, therefore, supposed to be want
perhaps potash and soda, and 80 top-dres
with ashes and salt, and had no farther trout
| have seen qui,ea number Of old pastures Il
were yielding tolorably well, plowed with sol
what similar results. | visited Mr.. Butte
farm near New Hartford, last year. He b.
cattle and iattens them for the MARKET and
said to me that be had never been able to fat
stock with that facility from grass raised
newly seeded grounds as on that Of those
down many years ago, or from pastures I