Ellsworth American., 1875-08-19
tarm ano AoustbolO.
Feeding xowias Lasis.
Economy-the second thought
Feed the cattle by the swath

here ii said that farmers are saving
much hay this open weather; cattle man
age TO pick up much in the fields. Indeed
in my riding see, sometimes. herds of cat
tie IN moving fields. grazing the dry alter
math. For some days it is likely they may
secure a third or half their support away
from the hay moN. II seems TO me, how
ever. that for every mouthful of hay saved
by TIL, means, four or five good mouthfuls
will be lost to the barn the coming sum
mer. Ifoi this YOU are doubtful. then con-
slider .he reasons in support OF the asseT-
ton. Ii i assumed that the soil OF your
farm j. light. thin. and rests upon well
drained >ubsoil.
Ine practice Of mauuring grass lands
upon the sward to keep the grass well,
aud 10 save the expense of ploughing and
hazaid OF reseeding. has become at least
Massachusetts custom. This custom finds
itS support in the belief that grass roots lie
near the surface of the ground-that the
rains or melting snow liqIeiy, 50 to speak,
the manure applied to the surface. ana
the liquid.from it. settles in,the soil sufiic-
ieuty tor the surface roots of the grass 10
bc thereby nouri.hed We know that the
most fertile layers OF our farm soils are the
layers near the surface. Suriace-applied
farm manure has its greatest strength re-
tanned in these layers. Go down three or
four inches and it is found for every half
ts..4 B, i. bar s-.I In of
anime the ploughed furrow. aud the great
mass 81 roots are not found below these
few inches. What lies below this depth i,
very important in sustaining i growth OF
grass. bur the larger part of the stun Of
which grass i made. withd avn from the
soil. Is found ABOVE. Different i. it with
clover, perhaps, and other deep rooted
plants. and different it may be, perhaps.
with grass in clay or deep soil.
Careful experiments show that the
greater portion OF liquid manure applied
upon the surface, does not drop through
il like lead in water, to the bottom, but
that it is diffused through the uppermost
part of the soil. Unless grass roots, then,
are conceded to be near the surface, top
dressing of grass lands we must regard as
an Indifferent use of manure. But we
know it produces results of value.
Accepting then, these two positions, the
one as to the descent of manure in the soil,
and the other, as to the growth OF the root
Of grass. another position with respect to
the nature of grass will be readily accept
ed. That grass. unlike some specie, OF
plants. the common English grasses. does
not flourish in dry soil. but requires wat
er in abundance during the growing sea-
son, We think i every ones experience. Ia
our dry soil. put in manure. and with a
rainy season, there j. Il good yieid of grass
Euf without frequent rains upon Il light
.,il. OF some means oil retaining moi isture
ia the soil. our crop fails. 10 have grass
Ia perfection, demands that the farmer
have suitable soil. that the soil should be
fertile. and that il shall be kept sufficient
m3i~l. Without the last. all efforts are un-
avaiiing The thing of greatest difficulty
j.. to secure water to the growing crop.
What has the close feeding of our now
ing fields in autumn to do with this Some
say to iced grass close, to have it meet
winter in naked condition. i, to have it
winter Killed. fear more thar It will be
summer killed.
The field that meets the spring sun in
this naked state. is the soonest green. The
>In does this, the rain being abundant in
the early spring. The early part of June.
or towards the middle of the month. there
i often the beginning of a drought; no
-howers-the roots of the grass being near
the surface are soon dried-the blade slack
ems in growth and ripens short of a full de-
velopment.
suppose. instead OF this. the fall finds
growth of, say four inches of srass-the
crisp cold deadens in 1.-THE winter snow
falls upon it. and when gone leaves the
dried grass fattened to the earth The
spring sun is upon this cover-half an inch
OF loose mulching; the blade is slow to
start, nor does the thirsty sun. and more
thirsty winds suck up the moisture in the
soil rapidly. Why: There i. this half-inch
of non-conductor of heat, of cold. or mols-
ture between it and the soil. The land re.
ceives the rain from heaven, and drinks it
in-and between summer showers there is
not a rapid rendering up OF the water so
much required. There is nothing more
conductive OF a retention of water in the
soil than a good mulch. Nature, when let
alone, kindly provides this for grass. be-
tween the time of haying and autumnal
frosts. Does anything require mulch
more than grass?-[ Joseph n. Sturtevant