The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-01-07
Tk!.e= =6azettf.
Grass as a Renovating Crop.

ati countries ana climates, suStalnS
more animal life than any other,
and contributes most towards sup
plying the comforts and luxpries
mankind enjoy. Wherevez grass
flonrishes man 'gaips an easy living
andaoquires wealth; where il grows
mol, deserts spreadtheir inhospi-
table wastes, and man is a nomad,
d barbarian. 1t gives TO man, civ.
ilized or savage, meat, wool and
milk and its products, ii is the
great renovator of soil worn By
tillage and cropping; thus lying at
the very foundation OF all other
useful vegetable growth, and in the
landscape it appeals to our sonse
of beauty with greater force than
any other feature. 1t grows spon-
taneously, yet yields easily to cul.
ture.
: AS a renovator of the soil, grass
is q greater aggregate value with
US than. stable or barn yard ma.
nure, and it is a question worthy
ot,a good deal of thought. how To-
use i with the most profit in en-.
riching our lands. 1t seems, in.
deed, to enrich soil, at least for the
production of other crops, by nero.
~ occupying it. If we NOV, or
pasture, or lot it decay where il
grows, although we sec greater
benefit from some methods than
Others, yet all seem to add some.
what TO the productive power OF
the soil for cereals. Grass acts as
a soil ronovator, both by what It
conveys to it, and also by a Ger,
tain mechanical action. OF course
itcan add nothing to what was in
in the soil previous to its growth |
from 1t, except what it derives from
the atmosphere; but this is consid.
erable, and besides, it changes By
Its growth and decay the crude eli.
ements of soil into state better
adapted to nourish plants of
higher character, and bearing food
directly for the use of man. But
the dense bottom growth and sur.
face roots ofgrass, which from what
we call turf, protect the soil from
not sunshine and drying winds,
and under this sholter it rapidly nc.
cumnlales nitrogen, and to this
cause, probably, as much as TO any
other, do We owe tho increase Oft
fertility in our land down with
grass.
It is popular notion that pas.
turing enriches land with gras,
moro Than moving. Perhaps i,
does, as a general rule, but great
deal depends on how tho land il
treated under either practice. If
tho land is kept short the grass
roots will not extend as deep nor
grow aS large-therc will not bo
as great q weight of thcm-as tho
inc grass grow tall. Hence the
meadow would get the advantage
over The short pasture in weight off
roots wherowith to enrich the soil
II tho hay cut from meadow bc
iod IN such manner that all thcI
manure it makes can bc saved. and
this returned to the field, it is prob
able the sol would keep in better
condition than il pasturel; for this
reason the manaro from tho bav
would DO applied 10 better shaoe
ana with loss waste than that
which stock leave on the fields
where they grazo. But if tho ma.
nurc, or its equivalent, from tho
hay, be not returned to the fold
then the pasturcd land would i'm.
prove in fertility faster than mead.
ow.
But grass is extensively used as
soil renovator by blowing it in
when 1t has attained largo growth.
All things considered, il is the
cheapest fertilizer that can be used
An amount OF turf and grass will 4
grow on ono square rod equal in \
weight to n two,horsc load of sta.
bio manure; and II tho turf and
grass wore removed from tho so aare
rod, tho stable manure would hard.
ly moro than msko good tho def .
cheney. Tho farmer who can got
II thick turf and good growth of
grass, can grow other largo crops = !
bis soil is fertile enough. In MANY
cases the result is equally benoG. b
c'aI to let the growth go down ON
the ground without blowing until
desirable 10 till the soil for a crop
1t is probable, indeed, that little
bat water is lost from tho grass 7
when it dries, and tho advantages
OF having tho soil shaded and kopt
moist through tho summer, instead
OF turning the baro earth to the
sun, are grcat.--RWdrMuo Yorker.
MunIiring.
Fruit trees will be better pro r
pared to encounter tho hardships ="
OF winter il they are supplied with
enough wholesome an congcnial
food during tho spring and winter
months. Farmers will know how
much easier it is to carry their
STOCK through the wintor sa,;,t
torlIy II they are in good condition
when winter begins, They should
% ted with specific manures-- u
AN analysis OF tho ashes of the " =,
pear treo will show twenty .twoI y
parts OF phosphate Of limo, md o
twelye parts of lime. Tho pear