Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-04
Permanent Pastures.

Permanent Pastures
There is scarcely anything d
more Importance to the farmer
than good permanent pasture. Yet
very few see the necessity of pre-.
pairing the soil properly and seed,
ing with the most suitable grasses
1t generally happens that land is
not laid down for permanent pas
ture until it has been impoverished
by producing numerous crops Of
the cereals without manure. The
most successful farmers depend on
their grass land for making money,
and field is never plowed up for
tllage until the grass has begun to
deteriorate. 1t is then broken up
only that it may be improved by
the decomposition of the roots OF
the grass, clover, etc, and by being
well MANFRED. After yielding a few
crops, it is laid down in good heart.
Drilled and hoed, crops have a
cleansing effect on land, and by
means of them weeds are extermi-
mated. In Great Britain much more
attention is given to the improve
ment of pasture than is used In the
United States or Canada, and the
result is seen in the rich green
sward which carpets the grazing
districts of that country. A cor
respondent Of the Scottish Farmer
writing on the preparation of land
for permanent pasture, says:
"High-lying moors when dry
may be still more effectually i'm
proved by being broken up in sue
cession and after the surface has
been pared and burned and a CO.
pious dressing of lime mixed with
the ashes of the burned surface APP
piled, a crop of rape is sown in
July, the rape to be succeeded by
Swedish turnip. The crops should
be eaten of by sheep, and the land
should then be sown down with the
seeds of grasses suited to perma-
Dent sheep pasture, in August, after
having been falloWed during the
previous spring and early part OF
summer.
"The mode of Improvement here
suggested will enable tho flock mas
ter TO fatten portion of his stock,
or to bring his supernumerary stock
to market in such q forward condi-
ton as greatly to enhance theil
value fol the purpose of being thor,
oughly fattened, than that which
they would bear if sent direct from
their pasture. In addition TO the
benefits spoken of, the pastures SO
improved would be capable of car.
; rying q very greatly increased mum.
bersOf sheep, Of much superior
description, than can be the cast
without the short course of tillagC
recommended. On peat boys eau
ton should be exercised in not over
draining them, as peat, when de-
prived of moisture, becomes utterly
sterile. Peat boys, it may be stated
have invariably beneath them The
means of their improvement in
beds Of mari, which by being spread
on the surface, and left to be acted
on by the frost of winter before
mixing with the peat soil, will effect
a permanent and very great i'm,
provement in the pasture. 81. /
"Where lime in caustic state
Gan he obtained, without the cos
of distant carriage, it will NOR,
speedily and efficiently, and also
more economically effect improve
ment in peat by correction Of it:
astringency, than by any Othel
means, and this added to peat ashe:
will speedily produce valuable pas
ture. la moorland thin concrete
composed of small gravel cementeC
; by clay and iron oxide is frequently
interposed between the peaty sur
face and the clay subsoil. The con
erection in question is known a.
moorland, and the most obvious
and etfectual mode of dealing Will
it is, after draining to a good deptf
into the subsoil, to break it up by
means Of an implement especially
constructed for the purpose; anC
to apply, as manure, some sub
stance that will convert the insolu
he oxide into a soluble salt 0
iron, in which state it may pass il
solution into the drains in the sub
soil.
For the purpose spoken OF, Glau
Der or EPSON salts, which are re
spectively the sulphate of soda an
sulphate Of magnesia, may be al
pied, but with the preference
the former to the latter mer
toned salt. In Stacks betwee
the drier portions of mountain pa
turesthere are frequently cOnsidel
able extents of ground occupied b
aquatic plants growing upon unde
living stagnant water and which al
nourished by their own dead or d,
caying substance The means
the Improvement of these waste