Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-03-25
farm, 6arilrn & fIollsehola.
q From The New York TribHne.
WHAT I KNOW OF FARMING.
VI-Lavius oa ! Farm-Pasturing.
NJ HORACE eaeElr4

the ordinary way, study well Its character.
deternlina its capacities, make himself wei
acquainted with its peculiarities Of soil and
surface, with intent 10 make the most Of i
in future operations. would devote a.
least year 70 this thoughtful observation
and stady
To one reared among the rugged seener5
Of New EnglaDd. or on either slepe Of the
Alcghany ridge, all prairie iarms look alike,
lust as a European suppo-ez this 10 BE- The
case With negroes. A better acquaiB aaee
viii show the average plaiie quarter section
bv no means an unbroken meadow, leyei
as house floor bat diversified by va'e.
courses "sloughs, apd gentle aceiwi,ies-
sometimes by considerable rayines aud bar
rons or elevated swales thinly cover
Cd with timber or brush, or both. Bat
will contemplate more especially Northern
farm. made up Of blu and vale or glade
rocky ridge aud sk;gtug bog or other lw
land. with wood lot on the rear or not fat
distant, aud clamp or belt Of timber irregu-
larly lining brook aud ravine or lurking IN
the angles and siauosities Of walls aud wood
en- fences and ragged, messy orchard
sheltered in some quiet nook, OF. spraH Ing
over some gravelly hillside A brook nearly
dry in Aaogust, gurglgs down the hiA,iie
or winds through the swamp; while field
moderately sloping here and nearly loy,l
there, interposed here and there, have
geverallg been devoted for a generation OF
more, alternately to grain and grass the lat
ter largely prepopderafing. We will sup
pose this farm to measure from 50 to l5O
acres
Neg the young man who has bought or
Inherited this farm may be wholly and en-
ciou>ly unable to enter 1pon any expensive
system of improvement for the next ten
years-may fully raabze that four OF Eve
d1ys Of each week must meantime be given
to the growing or earning of Lread-yst he
should none the less study well the capac
ties and adaptations of each acre, and ma
ture comprehensive plan for the ultimate
bringing OF each fed iato the best and most
useful condition Whereof; Is susceptible, be
fore he cuts a living tree or digs a solitary
drain. He is morally certain Of doing
sometbing-perhaps many things that be
would sadly wish unione if be iaiis TO study
peculiarities and mature plan before he oe-
gins TO improve or to tit his several fields for
profitable cultivation
And the first sci. ction 10 be made is that
Of pasture, since am compelled to use an
old familiar name for what should lie Is
sentiaIly new thing. This pasture should
be az near The centre Of the farm as may be-
and convenient to the barns and batnyards
that are to be- Il should have some shade
bnt no very young trees, should be dry ans
rolling, with an abundance Of the purest
living water. The smaller this pasture lot
may be- the better l shall Ike it, provided
you fence it very stoutly, Connect it within,
baIuyagd by a laGe If they are not IN Close
proximity, and firmly resolve that outside
Of ibis lot, this lane this yard aud the ad
jaceut stable, your cattle shah never be seen
unless On the read 10 market Y cry possibl,
the day may come wherein you viii decide
10 dispense with pasIuring altogether; bu,
that Is, for the present improbable One
pasture you will have; if you live in III,
broad West and purpose to Craze extensively
win, doubtless be big one; but permit
ting your stock to ramble 10 spring and iall
all over your own fields. and perhaps your
neighbors al,ol-in quest Of thrir proper
food biting off the ops cr The Gnar young
trees, tran ping down or breaking down
some that are older, rubbing the bark of of
your fruit trees, and doing damage that
years viii be required to repair. uosr
vehemently protest against.
The one great error that uIis.s .sal F., mankip3
is the presumption that something may be
had for nothing. lie average farmer im-
agiues that whate sr Of flesh or Of mix NAV
accrue TO him from the food his cattle obtain
by browsing over his fields or through hi,
woods, Is 50 much clear eain-that they do
the nselfu work while he pockets the ne,
proceeds. But the universe was framed on
plan which requires so much fJr 80 much:
and this law viii not submit 10 {. .faece or
evasion. Unlor the unnatural. transitor
conditions which environ the lone sluatter
on vast prairie something may be mad.
by turing cattle loose and letting ths m
shIk for themselves but rlis is at bes.
uansitory. and at war with the exigencies
Of civilization. Whoever lives within sight
of a school house, or Within hearing of a
church bell, Is under the damiEion Of a law
alike iuezorab!e and beaiftent-the law r..
qnires each to pay for alThe gets. and reap
only where be has sown.
You can hardly have a pasture So smsli
that it viii not afford hospitality to weeds
and prove a source Of multifornn inlps.ations.
The Plants that sbould flourish aud be dif.
fused will be kept down 70 the earth these
which should be warned upon and eradica
ted will flourish untouched, ripen their seed.
aed diffuseit far and vide. Thi~tlcs. White
Daisy and every plant that impedes tilIsee
and dlmlnishes crop, are nourishcd and
diffused By means Of pastures.
hold, therefore, that the good farmer
WIil ran a moving machine over his pastures
twice each Snmmer-say early in June, and
then late in July-or, if his lot be to tough
for this, viii have it clipped at least once
Ei'h seythe. Cutting all manner Of worth
ieSs u not poxious plants in the blossom,
VIII benefit the soil which their seeding
Woaid Tax; II viii render the eradication Of
weeds from your tilage tar easier task
and Il w'li prevent your being a nuisance 70
your neigbbors. am coulident that no one
who has formed Tire habit Of keeping down
the Wesds 10 his pasture Will ever abandon
think each pasture should have Though
mine, as yet, has not] rude shed or other
shelter ~hereto the cattle may resort in case
Of storm or other Incl,sn,encv H. .,..L