Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-09-18
RenoYating Grass Land.

THERE are thousands of acres of land
in almost every State that are pastured
for few weeks during the former part
OF the growing season, after which q
light crop of hay is gathered, and then
domestic animals are kept grazing on the
fields until all heritage has ceased to
grow.
Every intelligent farmer will pro-
nounce such management exceedingly
faulty, and bad for the fertility of The
ground, bad for the stock, and worse for
the proprietor OF the land. II is an in
judicious practice to allow domestic ami
mails to Craze in the meadows during the
early part of the season, for the reason
that the crop of hay will be materially
less than If stock had been kept off
Hence the hay crop is apt to be so light
that cattle, sheep and other stock do not
receive a sufficient quantity of feed
during the foddering season to keep
them from growing poor, which is bad
and Improbable. Then again, if stock
are allowed to pick every spear of grass
and every stem of clover late in the
growing season, thus leaving the sur
face of the land as naked as barren
desert, the crop must be light the next
season. 1t is bad practice to manage
in such way that meadows yield only a
meager crop of grass and light burden
of hay. Any farmer had better pur.
chase fodder for his stock, paying an ex-
orbitant price, than to allow his meadows
to be grazed closely late in autumn or
early in the spring.
Now, then, let a-small experiment be
tried by way Of producing heavier crop
of hay on land that has been wont to
yield half a ton per acre. If the supply
of stable manure is small, plow one or
two acres of the old meadow, at any
time from the first to the middle of Sep
tember. Let sharp share and coulter
be secured to the plow so that the work
may be done neatly. If the soil is only
two or three inches deep pillow shallow
If only eight or ten loads of well-rotted
manure can be collected about the out
buildings, let it be spread thin and even
ly over the surface, after which start the
harrow and make the ground smooth and
mellow. III stable manure cannot be OBJ
tanned procure about 800 pounds of flour
OF bone and sow it evenly on one acre
After the bone.dust is distributed, let the
grass-seed be sowed and covered with a
light harrow, or with brush drawn by
one horse or mule. Keep every hoof off
such ground until the surface is frozen !;
and even then it is bad policy to allow
calves and lambs to Craze on such land,
as their sharp teeth will cut the young
plants clear to the roots, which is bad
for the young grass.
Many farmers cannot resist the tempta-
sion to allow their hungry and famished
animals to Craze where the young grass
has attained several inches in height. Old
pastures and old meadows, if the soil is
in fair state of fertility, may be pas
tured with profit late in autumn; but it
will be found ruinous to young grass, as
the roots are tender and not half grown
Consequently, tbs far better to allow the
autumnal growth to remain as q protec.
ton during the winter.
The foregoing directions may be safely
followed where the grass is run out, or
"bound out" and where there are many
weeds. But if there is fair stand of
clean grass the better way would be not
to break up the sod with plow. 1t is of
great Importance to understand when
grass land should be plowed and when it
would be better not to turn the sod over
In some instances the better practice is
simply to sow bone-dust or spread a
dressing of fine manure over the surface,
and let the rain wash the fertilizing mat
ter down to the roots. .-AgricOla, in N. Y.
Observer