Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-07-05
Improvement of Pasture Lands.

Next TO wood ashes probably the most cl-
ctual medicine Tor an old pasture is pho,-
plate Of lime TINS compound, in us cJm-
mercial form, is expensive, but may he cheap
ly obtained IN most places in the crude state
OF bones. These are lying round most farm
crs premises, and by the side 81 tic streets.
and especially around slaughter houses, and
may generally be had for the gatheru-. II
any one viii invent a cheap mill for grind
inL bones, be will do the agricultural Gun
unity a great service. In their raw state
they d,sntegrdte very slowly. UDS des-
tItute Of phosphate OF lime our oil PASTURES
are, may be inferred from the cagcruess most
COWS manifest to chew ano d b. { JhatcOmcs IN
their way. lt nay in some instances pay to
strcw grazing lands with the commercial
phosphates, bat the cost is 20 lar.e aad tie
liability to adGlteratiOn SO great, that We
cannot re Commend its general practice
Sui We slike To see 80 many bones lying
useless, while the pastures are starving Tor
the want oil them, and We ave found tue
most economical mode Of dl-solying them is
to place the bones 10 cask in tie .,rc part
Of nine, and kept moist. they WI be soft
cncd 10y aAlumn SO that they can be 81 Oveled
over in the compost heaps. The termcnta-
ton OF the compost will complete the dls.n-
tegratIOn, and sc know Or 30 top dressing
superior u this compound. Asue9 alone are
excellent, but when we add bones To them. it
Is like adding butter and sugar 60 dpngb. r.
makes bread INTO cake.
However important the Garth " or inorganic
elements OF plant food may tie for pa,rur s..
-tiil there are few grazing lands That VIII
not be benefited by an application ol nitro
gcnOus and CarbonaccOus manure. Il these
lands are situated at too great distance
from the barn yard Tor economical trauspor-
~
a compost heap on the pasture. II muck
from neighborinS swamp, or leaf moulG
rom ncIghboring pond can be easily OBJ
tanned, hill Of either may be thrown up
and 10 the course OF year II viii dlsiHtcgrtte
and become inprcgnatcd with rich gases from
the AIR. II some shes, or refuse lime. or a
dead horse can be added to the pile, the ad-
ditl0n wlil be great Improvement I'm many
forests the leaf mould has accumulated in
excess Of tie wants vi the trees. and this
mould alone viii be found rich in potash, lime
and other mineral elements. ar well as in
carbOnaceous matter. The value Of leaves
as manure has been greatly undcrcstmated
Many pastures are 80 situated that they
can be irrigated by some brook running
through Jr near them. Ii may seem para
doXIcdI that We can recommend draining and
irrigation on the same land, but strange a.
1t may seem, 1t Is both sound philosophy and
good practice. 1t Is the stagnant water in
land which renders it cold and barren Il
the land Is thoroughly drained 50 that the
water viii soak through it, brook may be
turned upon 1t with great advantage Water
Is not only great absurbe II OF the gases 0 f
the air but 1t also contains in solution many
mineral elements ana "a it percoIates through
the soil, 1t imparts t. the land much lcrt.lI-
zing matter. Whoever has brook running
through bis pasture, and does not distribute
ITS waters over the surface neglccts great
source OF fertility. \ iurrow nearly hori-
zJntal can be plowed, which will carry the
waters wherever we wish, and wherever they
are distributed they viii tell their own story.
Alexander Hyde IN Massachusetts Piougl-
man.