Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-02-16
PASTURE MANAGEMENT. = Few


constitutes a leading pursuit, than the
proper management of pastures, and
the general cropping of the farm de-
signed to feed, in the best manner,
the largest number of cows. 1t has
become a matter of supreme lmpor-
lance to us in New England, for the
reason that from long cropping and
inattention, our pastures are supposed
to have become deteriorated, and we
wish to learn the best and most eco
nomical methods of restoring them to
their original productiveness, and to
maintain their fertility.
This question of pasture manage
ment is too extensive to admit of our
going into it infinitely at the present
time, but toshow how pastures are man.
aged in Holland, the first dairy coun-
try Of Europe, may serve to suggest
some thoughts as to their Importance
and management here.
The pastures there are what may
be called natural, which in Europe
means pastures stocked with the nat
ural grasses, or grasses proper, in-
stead of the artificial grasses, such as
clover, sainfoin, lucerne, etc. The
turf or sod is closely set with the
finest and closest heritage, while the
soil and climate and the constant at.
tention on the part of the dairyman
secure to them the greenest and most
vigorous growth, uniform and luxuri
ant throughout.
The cattle and sheep are turned
out as early as the first of May, and
the pastures are divided by hurdles
into two parts one devoted to the
growth of grass to cut for hay, and
the other for pasturing. For every
five or six acres you will see five COWS
and six sheep. By the middle Of Au
gust, after the hay crop is all off the
ground, the hurdles are taken away
and the cattle have the run of the
whole for the rest Of the season. The
size of the pastures and the system
of small holdings which prevail ii
that country, makes it impossible tt
adopt the alternative system, or thu
plan of frequent change of pastures
which is advocated by many dairymel
in this country.
You see everywhere running witt
the COWS about an equal number OF
sheep. The price or the profit OF
raising meat is such that it is for tn
interest of the farmer there to max
the most of everything, and to adOp
the motto so popular here, and "puS
things" The sheep eat down tn
hard why grasses which the COWS re
ject, and so contribute very material
ly to keep the turf close and fine
But they are cautious not to over
stock in this way, not to stint the COW
so as to lead them to fall off in milk
and the number of sheep is usual.
limited to the number of cows. l.
winter, the pastures are given u
wholly to the sheep at the rate o
about one to two or three acres. i
the surface is so deeply covered wit
snow that the sheep cannot dig throug
it so as to get living, they are fe
with hay in racks morning and ever
ing, near the tarm buildings.
By the middle of November tn
cows are put Cp, and now begins tn
active preparation for manuring tn
pastures. Most of our readers ar
probably aware that the fields an
pastures of Holland are all surround
ed and intersected by bitches. Thes
are regularly cleaned out, and the
yield a large crop of mud, Will
through the summer they grow a splel
did covering of green weeds and W;
ter planJs. These are carefully co
, lected and laid along the banks o
the bitches in heaps, and so is tn
mud. You will see long heaps in tt
form of a rectangular prism, abor
thirty feet long, and yard wide {
the base, and perhaps six to eigt
} inches deep. The heaps are perhaE
sixty to sixty-fve feet apart. Thes
heaps lie till the cows go into the bar
at the beginning of winter, and tt
air and frosts melt them down, so
speak, into fine mealy mass.
Now when the cows are stabbed {
the middle of November, every da
til! the ice covers the bitches, tt
semi-liquid manure of these ANNA
is boated along the sluggish stream
and spread over the service OF thes
heaps. and the whole is immediate
turned over and mixed with the for
and made up ID the form of a tria
, gular prism. This brings the bul
, of the COW manure into the center O
the heap. After time these hear
are again turned until the whole mas
becomes light and mealy, a splendi
: compost, which in January or Febr
airy is evenly spread over the serviC
, of the pastures, or, if the weathe
does not admit of it then, it lies owe
till spring. This takes place on tt
small bitches running through ever
Idrm.
But the mud dug out of the lare
, canals and the numerous branches Q
the Rhine, is piled in heaps and lie
exposed to the air much longer, ofte
two or three years, when it is mike
with the semi-liquid manure. Q
course the manurial value of the mu
of the bitches, canals and rivers, di
a fers considerably according to the /
cation. That taken out near lars
towns and villages, which receive
:. large accessions from the waste @
+ houses, is much richer than that ia
n Their away. When the compost
: complete it consists of about Nv
t parts of manure without straw,
s three or four parts of mud, say abo
: half and half. The cost per acre c
e the manuring in this way is about 81
This system, of course, is not pra
q ticable here, but it may serve to sho
d what can be done, and how caref
o the most renowned dairy people
Europe are to keep their pas1ures I