American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-01-10
Agrir,tttural department.
T From the Aa.criean Ayrieultwist1
Ton-drasaing MAadoWs in Winter,

Top-dressing Meadows in Winter.
A thin dressing Of clay put upon
meacow, where the soil IS sandy, or
a sandy loan, or for the most part
muck, and not in a very good state
of fertility, will sometimes increase
the growth of grass so largely, that a
meadow hardly worth moving will
yield three tons Of excellent hay per
scre. Sometimes when grading has
been done, or a new fence is built
the earth is scattered in depression
on the sward near by, and the result
almost always is large increase in
the growth of the grass. We have
frequently observed punches, and
small patches of tall, heavy grass of
luxuriant growth, near stakes and
posts, that had recently deem set, a
small quantity of the earth having
been scattered, when the workman
was digging the holes. Taking the
hint from these, it is easy to see how
teams and laborers may be employed
proftably, when there is snow on the
ground, or it is too Geld to engage
in labor that reqnires warm weather.
If man has o sandy meadow yield
ing but small burden of grass, it
will pay we'll to haul clay, or almost
any kind of earth half mile to top
dress such ground. When the sleigh
ing is good, team will haul two
tons at one load with ease. If the
soil be of a peaty character, two tons
of cold stiff clay spread in the win
ter over an area of four square rods,
will usually produce maxim result.
Should the clay be plowed, or spaded
up in large clods, let them be spread
on the snow or ground, and the frost
and rain will reduce them to fine
and mellow condition before the grow
ing season commences, so that a lit
tie labor with shovel will cover the
entire surface with an excellent top
dressing, the good effect of which will
be perceived for several years, in the
larger quantity of grass and hay,and
in the better quality.
An active man with good team
will haul, on an erage, one ton
of earth in an hour half mile,
when the trave ing is such that the
team may haul two tons per load
And if half ton be spread on each
square red, it will require eighty
tons to top-dress an acre. The ex-
pense of the teams for hauling need
not be computed, because they must
be kept in winter, whether they
work or not. and it vii be better
for them to labor than to remain
idle. Then allowing man one
dollar per day, if he hauls only four
loads per day, making eight tons, it
will cost ten dollars to top-dress one
acre. The grass produced by such
a dressing over and above what would
have grown in single season, will
ordinarily more than pay all this ex-
pense. But, in the. winter, when
farmers have little to do besides their
daily chores, they can work few
hours every day at top-dressing in
this manner, and it will cost them
even less than we have reckoned, as
it will be better for both men and
teams to labor moderately, than to
remain idle. When there is a prepon-
derance of clay in the soil, sand, or
sandy loan, or muck may be hauled
instead of clay. The frosts and
rains will almost surely reducr it fine
before the growing season commen-
ces, and it will answer the double pur-
pose of mulch and fertilizer
When the snow is off the ground on
a midday, the Jumps, if there are
many, may be broken up and spread
by harrow turred upon its back.