Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-23


WINTER GRAzING.-This term will
strike the Eastern reader unpeasantly,
for it is associated in his mind with bare
fields, stack-yards, frozen earth, and
shivering cattle. In the trans Missouri
country, we have vast region where
winter grazing is fixed fact, without any
of the disagreeable accomplishments of the
rainy and snowy climates east of the
Mississippi. The eastern limit of this
climate is about the 98th degree Of longi-
tude west from Greenwich, which crosses
the Union Pacific R. R. near Grand Is
land. Nearly all the country west of this
line, extending from Texas far into the
British Possessions, is one vast natural
pasture the year round. The climate is
not we'll understood by many of our East
ern people. 1t is entirely unlike that Of
the Atlantic and Mississippi Valley States.
Judged by our standards at the East.
four-ffths Of this region would be uuIn-
habitable on account Of its elevation above
the sea level. On this coast, seven thou
sand feet would be about the snow line
In the Rocky Mountains it is nearly
twice that hight. They have good sum
mer weather in its season at ten thousand
feet above the sea level, and it is Only the
cool nights that make the raising Of
Indian corn impracticable. The terminal
line of vegetation on the White Mountains
is about 5000 feet, on the Alleghanies
$500 feet. The grasses grow luXuriantly
on the Rocky Mountains up to ten thou
sand feet, and we have seen heavy growth
of timber on Pixies Peak, and on other
submits, as far up as 10000 feet, and
smaller growth Of evergreens Is 900 feet
high. In the North, South, and Middle
Parks, eight to ten thousand feet above
the sea level, the winters are less severe
than in the Atlantic States. The rainfall
over the greater part of this region Is
about twenty inches annually, and the
larger part falls in the month of May.
This gives the grasses a vigorous start,
and in June they are fully matured. BY
the lst of September these grasses have
become a perfectly cured hay, as nutri-
tious as any the Eastern farmer puts into
his stacks or barns The proof of Its ex-
cellence is the fact that thousands of sheep
and cattle feed upon it all winter, and
come out in the spring ripe for the butcher.
There is none of that pining which is in
separabe from all outdoor feeding in
winter in the Eastern States. There are
not only the "bunch" and "gramma
grasses, but the species are numerous, and
every valley has its complement of them.
This fact of abundent fodder for all gram
inivorous animals is as well established as
any fact in our agriculture. 1t is this
which makes this vast region so attractive
to the stock grower.-A61erican AgricuI-
turtSt.
To MAKE BOYS COOP FARMERs.-|
The American Agriculturist says: In
duce them to take an interest in the farm,
in the implements, in the stock tell them
all your plans, your successes and failures );
give them a history of your own life and
what you did, and how you lived when
boy but do not harp too much on the
degenerate character of young men Of the
present age praise them when you can,
and encourage them to do still better.
Let them dress up in the evening instead
of sitting down in their dirty clothes in a
dirty room. Provide plenty of light.
Thanks to kerosene our country home can
be as brilliantly lighted as the gas lit
residences in the city. Encourage the
neighbors to drop in evenings.-Talk
agriculture rather than politics speak of
the Importance of large crops, Of good
stock, Of liberal feeding, and ofthe advant-
age of making animals comfortable, rather
than of the hard times, low prices and
high wages. Above all, encourage the
boys to read good agricultural books.
Papers are well enough, but an intelligent
boy wants something more. Get him
some good agricultural book to study.
Read it with him, and give him the bene-
fit of your experience and criticism. When
he has mastered this, give him another
In our own case we. owe, our love for
farming principally to the fact that our
father told us of everything that he was
doing on the farm answering all the
questions, and encouraging rather than
refusing, our child like desire of.helpipg
him to plough, to chop, TO let off water,
and fire the brush heap.