Richland beacon., 1875-04-10
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Best Pastures for Dairy Stock

"The best pasture for stock" is a
subject that involves all the agricul-
tural operations of the farm. 1t Is
universally conceded that a system of
mixed husbandry must be carried on
to some extent on every farm to make
it profitable Hence, the Introduction
Of the different grasses has an iniiu-
ence on all the crops that can he raised
protitably on each farm, as well as on
the stock that consumes those grasses.
The question j. not what grasses we
shall propagate to make few cows
give the most milk, without any re,
gard to other crops which must soon
follow but simply what grasses will
keep the largest number Of COWS,
make them give large quantity Of
good quality milk, and put the soil in
the best condition for any of the crops
for which that particular soil Is
naturally adapted. When the subject
is to be considered on this broad and
practical scale, have no hesitation in
saving that the largest kind Of clover
stands first among all the grasses
ever used on any and every soil and
every cline wiki which am acquaint-
ed.
Every COW is manufacturing
establishment, producing quantity and
quality Of milk in exact proportions
TO the quantity and quality Of food
and water she consumes, varied by
the amount of labor she has to per-
form to obtain her living, the suffering
she has to endure from excessive heat,
cold, hunger, thirst or cruelty, from
whatever source it comes. Her taste
Graves variety of food of suitable
qualities to produce good quality of
milk:
Now let it be understood that every
wild leaf she eats, every vile weed IN
her pasture vtiates her taste, and
lessons the quantity and impairs the
quality of her milk. This being my
experience with an extensive acquain,-
ance with cows and milk, | have no
doubt of the utility If the largest
kind of clover on which to lay the
foundation of the best pasture for
dairy stock.
: Because it takes full possession OF
the soil and leaves no chance for
weeds to grow to any extent, to
impair the quality of milk.
Because it furnishes the largcs,
quantity of good nourishing food fol
!, summer or winter use Of any of the
grasses the soil can produce, when
! the operator fully understands The
!. trade of managing it properly.
Because it lives about three times
5 as long as any other red clover, ant
will grow with proper care On The
I poorest land that will produce any o
the other grasses or grain enough t
= pay for cultivating the soil.
u Because it gives the best yield Q
{ seed for any term of years, furnishe.
{ the best and largest amonnt of pasture
u and hay, when the seasons are unusu
;, ,. ally dry, its roots penetrating the sol
u so deep that drough disturbs it a
y little as it does the trees of a forest
Because, as the seed is general,
y !, sold, We can put the same number O
II seeds on an acre at less cost for see,
than of the medium small kinds G
clover, the seed being so much smaller
that the price has always been th
lowest when estimated by numbers Q
- seeds instead Of by weight.
Is Because the crop is so little afTecte
by dry seasons, that the cows ar
n sure to have good supply of goo
:, feed in summer, and good, nutriou
- fodder in winter, the fibre of the stal
,f being so much less woody to mast
IN cate than the same size stalk of an
of of the other kinds Of clover or otbe
% grasses.
Because on any soil it branche
,e from the main stalks FIVE times 9
,s much as either of the other kinds
ID red clover, giving on rich land an a
$. most incredible number of branche
Q. and heads on every stalk the ro,
il. sends forth, and never dies or drie
IS up by being fed off, as the mediu
of clover does, but it keeps right O
as branching and growing from the maj
old stocks till late in the seaso
Il unless they are cut of near the root
or The medium clover blossoms abol
Nv four weeks earlier than timothy, ar
re is not so well suited to grow wit
timothy, because it is generally a
re mitted that all grasses make the mo
D. and the best hay about the time
of towering; besides the timothy
killed entirely by being cut too earl
ds and when the medium clover is suit
gs BILE to cut for hay, the timothy whi
me is headed out is killed, not having =
nts advanced far enough to survive th
ordeal. By looking at the root of
,ty timothy stalk, you will see that I
nd, stalk is very large and the shape
,as an onion at the bottom. After I
ich stalk is headed out, new germ stal
TO from the root at the bottom of Il
bulb, which makes all the fall Sc
and The neat years crop of hay.
St. cutting before this germ starts.
mi kills the whole root. Thousands
rom acres are thus killed every year,
,sea : cutting medium clover at the pro-
: Of time for the clover, bat the improl
by time for the timothy A portion
nnu- killed on each acre, the rest be
'heF over-topped does not head oat {
thus saves its life. But cut a VIII