Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-05-08
agricultural.
Improvement Of Pastures.


barn at the close of the hay harvest shows
the fertility of his field, If the conditions
and elements have been uniform. A de-
cided falling of in his hay crop arouses
him to renewed exertion to make his fields
more fertile and productive, and these ex-
ertions sometimes spasmodic, it is true)
have kept the fields OF New England COM
paratively fertile, while the pastures have
been depreciating all the while. until the
same pasture barely sustains for the son
one-half the stock it used to fatten for the
father. 1t did not matter much how the
young stock was wintered thirty or forty
wears ago, for they were sure to improve
in the summer. From the fertile pastures
they came out fat and sleek In autumn,
though they were turned in poor and rough
in spring.
Now. this is a serious matter TO the farm
er of New England; for however broad
and rich his fields may be, he must have
green pastures alongside-one is necessary
to the other. and both absolutely essential
to maintain the equilibrium OF the farm.
When the farmers pastures fail to sustain
in summer the stock his fields have sup
ported in winter, the profits upon his stock
will end, and one of the most important
sources of revenue is cut of.
This depreciation of our pastures has
produce the results above described. For
more than a century we have pursued a
system which has produced this state of
things. viz putting in our pastures all the
stock thew could sustain. and always too
early in the spring; raising stock for gene
rations, whose growing bones have ex-
tracted the phosphates from the soil; por-
ducing milk, which extracts the same
elements in still greater degree; with
drawing the cattle nights to the yards
To increase the manure pile for the fields,
at the expense OF the pastures; ploughing
the high land and raising crops, almost
always with no return of fertilizers, and
too offer without re-seeding; never drain
are always the richest, and in times of
drought the best: and neglecting the
bushes which ottentimes grow where, if
eradicated, the best grass would be found.
J. ii wonder that under this treatment
the pastures have deprecated, and will
:hey not soon be yalueless. unless q short
corner i turned. and different course
pursued?
A. u.ih
treatment, and returning payment for
what is taken from them.
Bushes and Old dead grasses should be
removed early in the spring. AMER few
warm days in spring. and before green
grass has started, fire will run over the
pastures in a sunny day. and will Kill the
bushes: and though the pastures may be
black for few days. they will soon be
green again. Though the amount of ashes
from the grasses and scurf burned may not
he large it is valuable, and will enrich
the soil. and the grass that springs up will
be sweet and green. and will be fed of
closely. The sun, sufficient to dry the
grass enough for burning. will not have
fences, enough to burn, and the fire may
be set with impunity almost anywhere.
our stock is almost always turned into
pastures TOO early in spring. At thi. time
the land is liable to be poached up by their
feet. and the grass roots killed by tramp
ling. or pulled out by the yielding ground
by the hungry mouths of feeding cattle.
If pasture lands are ploughed and plant
ed, does not justice to them, and the true
interest of the owner alike. demand the re-
turn of the profit of the crop raised, and
perhaps more, in the shape of plaster,
bone. ashes. and especially of seed, as well
as to keep the stock of this land until the
grass roots are strongly set:
If too rocky 10 plough and re-seed, an
application ofthe fertilizers above alluded
10. as soon as the snow is off. will show
their effects in abundent green grass,
especially if worked in with harrow with
sharp teeth, thickly set, aud loaded with
chains. \ liberal application of bone will
stop the cow from chewing bones, 10
supply herself with the phosphates her
system demands. but which the old and
exhausted pastures do not contain.
Nothing deieriorates a pasture faster
than the raising of milk and young stock,
for the milk extracts enormous amounts of
phosphates from the soil, as also do the
bones Of growing animals; and the manure
from such creatures is less valuable for the
improvement of the pasture; for it is plain
that the valuable portion Of the food going
TO the growth of the animal, or the produce
ton of milk, cannot pass of in the manure,
and consequently just SO much is robbed
from the pasture. Full-grown oxen. and
fattening cows. not giving milk, are prob
ably the best stock for pastures, except
sheep. because they have got their growth,
and their manure returns to the pasture
nearly all the elements the producing it
contained.
Sheep probably benefit a pasture most,
because they eradicate much vile stuff;
choose knobs for their resting places,
where the manure is generally most need
ed, and distribute it most evenly. Their
manure is fine, and extremely valuable.
The past three dry seasons should have
taught US to appreciate the value of the low
lands in our pastures; for without these
places the cattle must in many instances
have persisted for want Of feed. Yet too
many farmers regard these as merely waste
portions of their pastures. These hands are
the most valuable in tie whole pasture, in
their season. and if drained. and the scurf
and coarse grass burned of in early spring
will sustain the stock oftentimes when
without this feed il would have to resort
TO the barn.
We hope these hints will be sufficient to
impress our readers with the importance
of increased and immediate attention to
our DastlIres. and as many of these sug-