Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-01-23
EAST ST. JoHNsBuRY FARMERS
CLUB.


Subject Discussed 81 How shall we Improve
our Pasture Land-i"
A. X. Hovey This is the most difficult
question we have had. We all know that
our pastures have steadily deprecated for
the past 25 years Some have suffered more
than others, while few have become en-
tirely worthless Now the great question is,
where is the remedy? Before | consider
that will mention what | consider to be
three causes for pastures running out.
First, extreme dry seasons From the great
drouth of lS49 our pastures have never re.
covered and every dry summer adds to the
injury. Then another great cause, and per-
haps the greatest, is overstocsing keeping
the grass fed too closely, and not allowing
any to go to seed. Aud then those pastures
exposed to the wind are injured by the snow
being blown off in winter. Now we can i'm
prove our pastures by taking out our cattle
early in the fall. Keep them better through
the winter so that our beef will be ready for
market in August. In this way the grass
will have a chance to recover before winter,
and feed will be good for the next spring
Very poor pasture land naturally grows up
to bushes and young uees-what we call
sprout land-and think these should be
left to grow and make a forest. These trees
will grow up very rapidly and in % or 80
years will be fit for timber and fuel. There
is an instance of this kind on my hill pas
ture, where within my recollection good
crop Of wheat was harvested, but now it is
covered with valuable forest which pro.
tects that part of the pasture laying east
from cold winds do not hold to blowing
pastures unless it can be conveniently done
to kill weeds, and to mix the duff and soil to-
gethcr.
X. Cobleigh | have travelled through
different parts Of the country and have no.
ticed that pastures generally are growing less
productive. Once in N. ii. | was speaking
to farmer about his pasture which he con-
sidered pretty good. asked him how much
stock he could keep to the acre. lie re-
quosted my opinion in regard TO it, and |
told him if that was fair specimen Of his
whole pasture. perhaps 40 acres would keep
one sheep. Low pastures that were former
ly pretty good are now almost worthless.
This is u natural consequence where soil has
not fertility enough to stand long continued
cropping, as is the case with many farms,
some Of which ought never to have been
cleared | am not much experienced in
farming, and all the remedy can mention
is to keep the bushes down, and not overstook
as Mr.. Hovey says.
S. Huse This is difficult question, and
| could think of little to say upon it, but
since hearing the others have been some-
what enlightened. would advocate soiling
it our farms would admit Of cultivation mall
parts, but much Of our pasture land is too
rough and billy to work over much. We
cannot cheat Nature much. Our vergn soil
had a certain amount of fertility which had
been accommodating for ages aud when we
clear a new piece it produces grass in abuu-
dance, but when We keep stock upon il year
after year-espocially cows-it gradually
loses its strength and grass runs out. This
is unavoidable, but if we can devise some
means to put back M amount Of fertilizing
principle we can keep our pastures up or
perhaps improve them, Also where the land
will admit Of it it might be a good thing to
harrow thoroughly, and seed down to clover
and timothy. In regard to sprout land, it
would be we'll to let that grow up to forests,
and clear some older growth for fuel and to
make new pastures, while the young trees
were growing up.
l. Owens have pasture that was once
a meadow, and some parts of 1t my neighbOrs
tell me was cropped heavily. | can see that
the portions referred to make the poorest
pasture. had acres covered with weeds
aud stunps that plOwed deep, mixing the
duff aud soil together, dug up the stumps
and burned them upon the field. | then
raised a crop OF potatoes and oats, Plowed
again in the fall for crop Of oats, and seed
cd down. The portion thus treated is now
worth double what the remainder is for a
pasture My great trouble is with moss up