Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-03-02
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TOR DRgssrNG ,IEADows N .xrNrEI..

- 4'AAsas ~ ~ ~ y
A thin dressing of'clay put upon a meadow.
where the soil is sandy, or sandy loan, or
for the most part muck. and not in a very
good state Of fertility, VIII sometimes increase
the growth Of grass 50 largely, that meadows
hardly worth moving viii yield three tons OF
excellent hay per acre Sometimes when
grading hos been done, or new fence has
been built, the earth has been scattered IN
depressions on the sward near By, and the
result almost always is a large increase IN the
growth of the grass. We have Frequently
observed lunches, and small patches of tall,
heavy grass ofaluxuriant growth, near stakes.
and posts, that had recently been 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
proitably; when there Is snow on tbe ground
or rs TOO cold to engage in labor that re-
qaires warm weather If man has sandy
meadow yielding bat small burden of grass,
it viii pay well to haul clay, or almost any
kind Of earth, half mile to Top dress such
ground. When sleighing is good team viii
haal two tons at one load with ease. If the
sell be Of peaty character, two tons of cold,
sGH clay spread in the winter over an area of
four square rods, viii usually produce a max
imum result. Should the clay be plowed, or
spaded up in large cIods, let them be spread
al the snow or ground, and the frost aad rain
viii reduce them to fine and mellow condi-
ton before the growing season commences,
SO that little labor with ashovel viii cover the
entire surface with an excellent top dressing,
the good effects Of which viii be perceived for
several years in the large quantity of grass
ana hay, and in the better quality.
An active man with a good team win haul,
on an average, one ton OF earth an hour, half
a mile, when the travelling is such that the
the team may haul two tons per load. And
if half ton be spread on each square rod,
it will require eighty tons to top dress an
acre. The expenses of the teams for hauling
need not be computed because they must be !
kept in winter, whether they work or not, |
and it win 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 viii cost ten dollars to |
top-dress one acre. The grass produced by |
such dressing over ard above what would |
have grown in a single season, viii ordinarily |
more than pay all this expense. 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 reckoned,
viii be better for both men and teams to
labor moderately, than to remain idle. When
there is a preponderance Of clay in the soil,
sand, or sandy loan, or muck may be hauled
instead Of clay The frost and rains will al
most surely reduce it fine before the growing
season commences, and it viii answer the
double purpose of mulch and fertilizer
When the snow is off the ground on mild
day, the Jumps, if there are many, may be
broken up and spread by harrow turned
upon its back.-American 4grtcazturist.
!