The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-05-23
AGRICULTURAL.
STOCK AND PASTURE.


Iii generally accepted as fact,
that soil under pasture grows fertile.
When land is plowcd and cropped,
and pasture forms parts of a sys-
tematic rotation, the soil under grass
recupcratcs in power to grow grain.
This is due to several causes, promi-
ncnt among which is the thick turf
formed and p'owcd under, thus sup
plying quantity Of manure for the
succeeding crop. If - field were
left in grass for long time, and all
the growth allowed to rot on the
ground, we sec no reason why the
sold would not increase in fertility
SO long as this practice Was con-
tiisued. But were the grass remov-
ed! i'm the form of hay each year, and
mo compensation made, no practical
faumer would contend that the soil
grew richer when subjected to such
treatment for long time. Land in
grass, then, becomes rich only in
proportion as the growth of vcgcta-
ble matter from it-as roots, stems,
leaves and seeds returned for
manure.
Land is cnrichcl by pastur;ng
FOR the production of grain in two
ways; the formation of Il sod to be
3 rotted for manure, and the desposi-
tion of the solid and liquid eScre-
lnents. of the stock. It is important
for the grain former to consider the
kind of stock which, feeding on his
{ pastures, will enrich them most.
There is, perhaps, not much practi-
cal difference in the amount Of ma
nnre made by various animals on
thc same pasture; but the form! in
which it is desposited, and habits OF
stock in choosing their resting places
ought to be we'll considered. Horses
are the very worst fertilizers of pas
turc; they arc very close feeders, and
they delight to Craze the SUBMITS ot
knobs, and all spots where tho herb
age is short and sweet. On such
spots they are continually feeding,
vet they manure them very little.-
The observer will find their droppings
mostly in rich hollows, places where
the herbagc is rank and coarse, show
ing that the soil is already fertile
above the average of the field. In
this respect cattle have not the same
instinct as the horse, and they arc
neither so close nor so dainty feeders,
but the objection holds against them,
rs the horse, that their manure is not
scattered sufficiently for the good of
the land. This is, indeed, the child
objection to employing horses or cat
tie to enrich land by pasturing. If
the grass is turned into hay and fed
to them in the yard or stable, the
manure therefrom may be saved and
applied judiciously. But this course
involves much labor. In the field
every obserrant farmer knows that the
droppings of horses and cattle seem
to fortilize the soil but little when
their bulk is considered, and the best
effects are inyariably seen not from
the solid but from the liquid manures
that fall on the field. In pasturing
cattle and horses, we conclude that
not much more than ono part in u
hundred receives any manure, while
the ninety-nine other parts are i'm
poverished as much as though the
grass were cut and removed in the
form of hay.
Without doubt sheep arc the very
best stock with which to enrich land
by pasturing They range over the
whole field and refuse hardly any.
thing. Their manure is scattered il
the very best form it could be applied
Us top-dressing. If they frequent
to knolls where the grass is sweet they
also enrich them and they choose fo1
their resting places at night, ane
therefore fertilize, the highest par
of the field. In hot weather they wi!
frequent the shade trees, but from
such places the accumulated manure
is easily scraped up and distributed t
other parts. And the farmer who j
mainly grain grower will find nj