Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-08-13

spond with our observations on these mat
ters, and we cannot be far out of the way
in our conclusions in regard TO top-dress-
ing. The prevailing practice, then, is to
pasture meadows in the fall and never top
dress with any m aterial whatever.
Grass is usually cut at or near the
period of its maturity. The energies ofthe
plant have been concentrated and ex.
pended in the effort of reproduction, and
state of exhaustion necessarily follows-a
season Of rest so to speak-during which
the plant recuperates its exhausted ener-
gies, and stores up in its roots the material
for future growth. The foliage put forth
by the first feeble efforts of the plant after
ii is cut plays an important part in this
work of recuperation, and if il is cropped
close and late, can anyone doubt that
proportionate injury TO next years crop
must result? Before the moving the
roots were shaded and the ground kept
moist and in good growing condition. All
this is changed by the removal of the crop.
The protecting shade is gone, the hot rays
of the July and August suns are let in,
drinking up the moisture, parching the
ground, drying out and killing the roots,
which are now in no condition to resist
such whitening effects. Under such cir
cumstances, can anyone doubt the bene-
fetal effects of a liberal top-dressing of
some stimulating fertilizer, that will start
the plants into immediate action, causing
them to throw out a growth to take the
place of the one removed? Instead of
this, however, no fertilizer is applied, and
stock is turned in to eat off the protection
which the plants unaided would supply.
If this cropping is continued late, as it
generally is, the field is left bare, with eX-
posed roots, when winter sets in, and the
following spring the owner wonders why
his grass has frozen out so badly. On wet
meadows the tramping of stock has most
injurious effect, and they always select the
best of the grass, leaving the worthless
wild species to flourish and obtain the
mastery.
1t must he remembered that the whole
process of raising hay is an unnatural
one. When nature manages a grass crop,
without interference, reseeding goes on
every year and young, fresh, vigorous
plants are coming forward constantly TO
replace those that have fulfilled their mis-
sion. There is a constant growth, shading
the ground and protecting the roots from
summers drought, and, falling down in the
fall, furnishes protecting blanket during
the winter and rich top-dressng in the
spring. We cannot hope to work success
fully against nature, in any undertaking
and hence the man who never returns tC
his grass lands an equivalent for what is
removed, and who annually crops his
meadows early and late, finds them run
out' in a short time, and he is compelled
to renew them, at the expense of very
much more time and labor than would bt
necessary to preserve them. The practice
of one of the successful farmers of thi,
country will commend itself to everyone
He topdresses every year, literally ant
then feeds in the fall, according to cir
cumstances-if the aftermath is light hC
does not turn in at all, if very heavy anC
likely to impede the growth of the sue
ceeding crop he pastures tito oacorrespond
ing extent In regard to the material tC
be used in top-dressing, more will be sale
at another time. Any fine fertilizer
barn-yard or road scrapings, lime, ashes
compost plaster, etc.-which you have OF
hand, or can be obtained readily, SHOULD
be applied without hesitation or unnec es
sary delay.-OhtO Farmer