Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-02-12
agricultural, ar.
Management cg Crss-I. nds.


hhN pc. duu pIouubAN IA
is, a false assumption and yet we believe that
in this respect we are much in advance OF
any other part Of the treatment of these
lands. The custom quite prevalent of ma
nuring heavily for the proceeding eropfor the
benefit of the grass, although not especially
Objectionable if manure is plenty, is on the
whole. doubtless, poor economy. The theory /
upon which such practice is predicated. is /
that it is better to do the work on a small /
tract well, than to run over larger inaless /
thorough manner, but unfortunately for the
advocates Of the practice under consideration
the theory is not applicable to the case.
That it is not necessary or even desirable to
plough the manure in or even harrow 1t IN
for grass, is now so generally conceded, that
we do not propose to occupy space IN discuss
ing that point. We are not Of that class
who argue that because nature suggests the
system known as stop dressing we must adopt
it without why or wherefore, since our whole
system of farming has become so far removed
from the merely natural that such prediea-
ton standing by itself has little or no value.
On the other hand we would not discard
the suggestions Of nature until they are
found to be inapplicable to our artificial sys-
TEN of culture, and fortunately for the adyo-
Gates Of the natural method, it is found to be |
altogether preferable foi grass lands.
1t is the experience of all observing farm
ers that no land is in so high condition that |
judicious application Of manure on the sur |
face will not increase the growth of grass. !
We have vet to learn of the wide awake |
farmer who is not short Of manure. There may |
be, indeed we know there is, occasionally |
Rip Van Wrinkle among our Vermont farm
e-s, whose lands are rich enough and who has |
manure to spare but he does not read the |
papers and this article is not designed for his
eve Yet we do not despair of the Rip Van
Wrinkles, for they are waking up and looking
about for some means Of repairing the MUIR
les their farms have sustained in the past
Since then all lands however fertile are sus-
ccptible to the influence of some top dressing
peculiarly adapted to their wants, and since
there is a manifest want of the wherewith
upon every farm it follows that the widest
possible distribution of all the manurial
agencies at command is the most economical.
1t costs no more to spread load Of well com
posted manure upon a surface Of eight or
twelve square rods than upon four, unless the
unwise practice of dumping load in four
heaps prevails and if the supply is not suf-
fcient to cover the field at that rate load on
twenty rods viii be much better than to COW
er half the area with the whole amount
The farmer who is not welded to his own
crotchets, proftng by the experience and OBJ
servation of otheu, will be able to find means
out side Of his yard to greatly aid in improv-
ing his crops, without necessarily resorting to
the use Of commercial fertilizers. Peat, or I
muck, sand, clay, mari, the scrapings from
the bottoms Of old bitches, the surface of old
pastures, hedges, and roadsides, wood ashes I
leachei or unleached, coal ashes. old bones ,
lying around in the way tempting thieyish q
soayengers to break down fences and crops to
secure A few pennies worth for some phos- {;
plate factory, old mortar, the earth thrown I
from the bottom of a cellar or well, in short a
almost any thing and everything, if spread c
upon the right soil, even without composing
will increase the growth of grass, and oncton I
this year will afford the elements for two
next a
Many of our farmers, even dairy farmers, =
pursue the ruinous practice Of putting all 4
their manure upon the very few acres Of #
grain that they raise We would not be I'M e
derstood as condemning that practice in the !,
abstract. We believe in heavy manuring; :,
but we would subordinate the practice to our Il
circumstances and not 60 upon the principle ct
Of robbing Peter for Paul's benefit. \ much J,
better course for the farmer whose leading Il
crop is grass is to put the manure upon the al
surface of his grass lands and late in the fall
to turn under the aftermath, and rely upon i
the rotting Of that and the grass roots for 'o
the principal supply Of food for his grain W
crop not forgetting however to give it a lit v,
tie well compost51 manure to give it quick fu
vigorous start Coarse, uncomposted ma. CT
nure, if it must be used at all, should be ap- 70
piled to grass rather than grain lands, and in Ia
the fall, that the snow by its weight and re
melting may carry it down into close contact II
with the roots. IL
Thorough draining Of grass lands Is not co
deemed necessary, except in rare cases. since ha
a judicious selection of varieties viii secure 50
a good crop upon almost any soil. Us s9
Old meadows that have become IS bound m.
,ut 50 and are oversrown with moss, weeds \
,r worthless grass, and yet are so situated io'
hat ploughing is impracticabe, may be :;
greatly improved by narrowing them with a HC
sharp, fine toothed harrow and sowing on some do
pew grass seeds. Indeed most meadows may me
'e improved by this process, but it is import -.
mt that the seeds sown should be of varie-
les not before predominating Even peaty in
ands treated in this manner with top a
ressing of clear sand, in the absence of ~
ometliing better, may be very much i'm de,
proved. Ger
Frequent ploughing Of grass lands is not to ABB
c recommended under any circumstances. S'
Feeding of the aftermath especially where per
be principal crop Is Herds grass, is a very lur
ljurious practice. Early mown grass makes ma ma
.e best quality Of hay and the roots are left air,
| better condition for the next crop. There dou
some little compensation for the injurious ime
fleets of late moving in the decay of roots mac
I'd the supply of seeds, but it is not an and
iuivalent nevertheless. deti
The treatment of pastures is even more @hS
elected and less understood with -. than NJ,
at of moving lands Vernon. ,,s+,,ros car toir
''i' '''' f'it i'i''N' ID of those tracts OF IRA
UNI Tor cultivation and that Sftl
- 40 grass without seeding. 1t Is inst
d that less than FIVE per cent. OF all the to !
,sture lands of Vermont have ever been I'M not
err the plough - Coming in after FIRE has ta;r
IN over the ground in most cases, the growth sior
mulleins. thistlcs elder, briars, brakes, cut
rms. and other weeds and shrubs without less
unnber, has usmped considerable proper ieaI
on. and usually of the best part of the land. sim
low to meet and remedy this difficulty has Gus
,en.the study of many farmer, without For
,ming to any definite conclusion. Close r pas
eding with sheep is bel eyed by many to be or /
bout the best course practicable, and if fol- the
WED up with the mattock or grub hoe, and mo-
hose shrubs taken out that the sheep will lhe
OF or cannot eat, a pretty economic alsgbu- or
alton will result. lar2
But the greatest neglect Of our pastures is nee
n permitting the exhaustion Of certain essen- is
al elements without any effort on our part wis
n -. r-..,,,r,+ com - Il