Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-08-14
Summer Grazing in a Dry Season.

THERE is no part of farmers business
tured Judgment as the management of his
stock; and to lift them prosperously
through any trying period he is full of
anxieties, and it is worthy his best efforts
The present season is peculiar. twas one
of the earliest ever known, and the fields
obtained good pasturage, and, therefore,
were stocked fully at very early period.
This would appear to have been an unfor-
tunate case, as the season has turned out
The fields are full stocked, and the pas
lures are "gone off," What, then, is to be
done? On no account must the fatting
stock suffer-that is absolute loss for the
grazing department of the farm. was a
grazier in 1826-the driest summer have
known We had to resort to every expe-
dent to keep our fatting stock progressing,
and it was with the greatest difficulty we
could keep our store stock alive. Artifi-
cial aids were not so much in use then as
now but much was brought into con-
sumption. Our hay stacks, straw stacks,
and meadow lands and clovers were all
brought into requisition and at last the
man was deemed fortunate who could re-
tain any large portion of his straw-to say
nothing of his reserved old hay. 1t was
remarkable with what Zest and relish the
stock eat the old straw, and with what adj
vantage too. Every kind of heritage and
foliage, Z. e., leaves, rushes, reeds, readings,
etc, were gathered and given to the cattle.
The heat was also intense, and water ex-
ceedingly scarce in many districts The
cattle were brought home to the fold yards
there was not blade of grass in the fields.
The store cattle lived upon straw, with a
little meal or cake, or. bran, if it could be
obtained. The fatting cattle were provid-
ed with such pasturage as could best be
found, and clover, tares, ETC., mown for
them, and corn and cake in addition. Not
withstanding, but few progressed favor
ably, and numbers of half-meated animals
were slaughtered. Sheep did much better !;
the little, dry, grassy heritage they could
find was truly roast meat, and abided in
their stomachs. This, together with IA
tons of hay, straw, corn, and bran, kept
them in tolerable condition: progression,
however, being quite out of the question.
This season was quite boon to numbers
of residents in the fens, it being their prac-
tice to keep over much straw yearly
They took in large numbers of cattle at
from 2s, Cd. to 3s. I'D. per head per week,
to feed upon old straw only. The losses
in grazing, however, taking in the whole
summer, were very severe-far exceeding
that from the cattle plague in 1866.
Thousands of cattle and sheep were not
worth their spring price at the close of
the summer, and many were actually pinned
to death. Now, trust we are not going
to experience like summer; but at
present. the drouth is, to say the
least, becoming very inconvenient = the
grass very scarce, mangles done, very little
old hay left and not much straw. My OBJ
ject in writing this paper now is to caution
my brother farmers, to suggest economy
in every respect, and to beg them to make
provision for such emergencies as may
arise. will endeavor to name some use
full suggestions in accordance with the
season. 1t is desirable that little fresh
and sweet straw should be supplied daily
to the stock in every field, in such way as
may seem most economical and convenient
for foddering without waste This should
be done, even if the pasture is not gone
OF" to any great extent. All kinds
of stock will readily partake of a
portion, and it will actually bene-
fit them although the pasture
may (which is very unlikely be growing
and fruitful. This course is not to be des-
pissed even by our best graziers in the best
of seasons Itacts as a corrective to every
animal grazing upon luxuriant pasturage
at all times, and to some of tender consti-
buttons and laxity ofbody it is decidedly Of
great advantage, ! am not sure that Il