Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-12
Sheep as a Cleansing CrOp.

| How to clear out pastures of brush and
weeds is a very important question in all
our grazing districts. As matter of fact.
upon most dairy farms it requires the ut
most vigilance and considerable expense
annually in cutting brush to keep them
clean. The grazing Of cows and young
cattle alone will not clean the land from
brush and weeds. Patches of brars
whortleberry, sweet fern, hazle-nuts
scrub-oak, or other brush that spring up.
and spread year after year until the grass
is crowded out, and the land is covered
with Il young growth of forest-trees. In
many OF the older states there are large
| tracts OF land now covered with timber.
| that forty years ago were in pasture. In
the case of rough, billy land that can
never be ploughed, this return to forest is
often desirable. But a certain portion of
every farm is needed for pasture, and if
animals can be substituted for human labor
IN killing brush and weeds, it is desirable
to know it. We recently visited two
farms lying side by side, with no percepti-
bic difference in the quality or moisture of
the soil. The pasture lands were only
separated by Il stone fence, but something
much broader than fence line had separ
ated the management of the two farmers.
The one pasture had been grazed by cattle
ior long term of years. and the policy
had gone to seed in Il magnificent growth
OF alders' whortleberry, brush, young ma
pies, vervaIn, thistles and golden rod
brlars and other brush and weeds. There
were patches of grass in perhaps one quar-
ter OF the field, where the cows got scan
ty living. The other pasture, in addition
to Its cattle, and the constant tread of a
flock of one hundred and sixtv sheep, and
their hoofs in this case certainly had been
gold. Besides all the wool. mutton and
lambs sold from the flock, they had paid
for their keeping every year in freeing the
pasture of brush and coarse weeds. and in
it with their manure. There
was no brush of any considerable size, and
very few weeds. And we learned from
the proprietor that sheep were the only
agents employed in keeping the field clean
They had nibbled the Young shoots every
year rs they started, and what they had
not Killed outright by this cropping they
kept even with the grass. There was
good feed in every part of this pasture
even late in the fall. and the owner of this
farm used this contrast between these
I J lnlng pastures us Il standing argument
N favor of sheep hu>bandry. 1t is very
much to the point. If it is true, us George
Iedds asserts, that sheep in certain pro
portion to cattle pay their way in pasture
naturally clean, they must pay much bet
er In pastures inclined to produce brush
IND weeds We have had occasion to no
Ice the beneficial effects of the grazing of
hrep upon another farm that has been
lnder observation several years. They ,
lave not only subdued sweet fern, bri,rS
md thistles. but have greatly improved the }
grasses. The sod is much thicker and |
heavier, and white clover has come in
where once it made no show at all. In :
assures Where the brush it a'readv strono
nd higher than the sheep can reach, it can
lot be expected that they will conquer. :,
'ut II the brush be cut off for II season or I
wo. and the sheep be turned in sufficient q
umbers upon the young growth, they will d
' Tt' IL under and eventually destroy it q
his Is much cheaper than the use of the ),
;ythe and plough perpetually-Anerscan n n
gricmlturist. II