The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-08-28
FARM AND GARDEN.



Out of IA large number of responses received
to our list of questions proposed last spring
chiefly in reference to grasses ana their MN
agement, nine.tenths stated that they pastureu
in the fall to a greater or less extent AMOUR
er significant fact IN this connection Is eia'
nineenths of those who practice lall pas'uf'
ing deprecate the practice, believing II 70 Oe
injurious Had we asked one other question
"Do you top-dress your meadows IN IAN
or spring." we have no doubt mat hlhe e,,
would have replied in the negative Inc IT,
sponses received correspond win our oosel,
vations In these matters, and we cannot oe
gard to ton dressing The prevailing prac
tice. then. il TO pasture meadows IN the iali
and never topdress with any material what
ever. ,,
Grass is usually cut at or near the period
of its maturity. The energies of the plant
have been concentrated and expended IN the
effort of reproduction, and state OF eXhaus-
ton necessarily follows-a state OF rest, SO to
speak-during which the plant recuperates
its exhaused energies and stores up IN its
roots the material for future growth, The
foliage pat forth by the first feeble efforts Of
the plant after it 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 ann
in good 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 mois.
ture, parching the ground, drying out and
killing the roots, which are now in no cOndi-
ton to resist such whitening effect. Under
such circumstances, can anyone DOUBT the
beneficial effects of liberal top.dressing OF
some stimulating fertilizer, that will start the
plants into immediate action, causing them
to throw out growth to take the place OF the
one removedy Instead of this, however, no
fertilizer is applied, and stock is turned in to
eat off the protection which the plants unaid-
ed would supply. If the cropping is contn.
ued late, as it generally is, the field is lett
bare, with exposed roots, when winter sets IN,
and the following spring the owner wonders
why his grass has frozen out 50 badly. On
wet meadows the tramping of stock has a
most injurious effect and they always select
the best of grass leaving the worthless wild
species to flourish and obtain the mastery.
1t must be remembered that the whole pro-
cess of raising hay is an unnatural one.
When nature manages 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 mission. There is a constant
! growth, shading the ground and protecting
the roots from summers drought, and, fall
ing down in the fall, furnish protecting
blanket during the winter and a rich top
dressing in the spring. We cannot hope to
work successfully against nature in any un.
dertaking and hence the man who never re-
turns to 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, at the expense of very
much more time and labor than would be
necessary to preserve them. The practice of
one Of tho successful farmers of this country
will commend itself to everyone. He top
dresses every year, literally, and then feeds
in the fall, according to circumstances if
the aftermath is light, he does not turn in at
all; if very heavy and likely to impede the
growth of the succeeding crop, he pastures it
to corresponding extent. In regard to the
material to be used in top,dressing more
will be said at another time, Any fine fer
tilizer-barn-yard or ROAD scrapings, lime,
ashes, compost, plaster which you have on
hand, or can be obtained readily, should be
applied without hesitation or unnecessary
delay.-OhiO Farmer.