Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-02-11

Grain does not protect the young grass the
catch was more certain without II. From
late fall and early spring seeding he had
always got at least one good crop Of grass
the hrht season aud, in some years, two
crops. Sow redtop aud timothy in the fall
aud clover in the spring. The seed should
be sown by hand, after mixing with damp.
ened sawdust, 1t could then be sowu faster
and more successfully, even in high wind.
If there is good turf top dressing is excel
lent. The hest time is just after the hay is
cut off, and the manure should be in fine
condition. a small amount, even five loads
to the acre, will be found valuable. This
way is better than to put large amounts of
manure to a small amount of land to raise
grain crops. The last plan will take too
long time to 70 over the entire farm. A
good pan if the meadow was producing but
little, was to plow deep 10 the late summer
or early fall, aud top dress and sow immedi-
ately to grass seed.
The more valuable grass is clover il
draws much of its nutriment from the air.
1t hts the land better to raise wheat lands
IN the neighSorhood of Syracuse have pro-
duced great crops Of clover and wheat for
seventy years with no manure but plaster.
The manure from clover hay is the most val
liable. He thought timothy was over.esti-
mated Glover does not exhaust the soil as
other grasses. Redtop makes an excellent
and nutritious hay, but with him it does not
take easily; thought perhaps the ranker
growing timothy crowded it out, but he al
ways sowed it, June grass yielded very
light crop, but on dry soils il was one of the
best. His cows do better on early-cut June
grass than on any other. His experience iD
orchard grass was confined to only last year.
Mr. Cheever, from an experience Of twelve
years, thought that it the most valuable. 1t
should be cut very early or it is worthless.
lie should SOW large quantity OF it iu the
spring. Hungarian grass is valuable in dry
seasons. Fodder corn is also useful for the
same purpose, and he had found it exceed.
ingly valuable when pastures fail. 1t was a
grent mistake to Craze the moving lands
after haying; he believed the best
way was to keep stock out of the meadows
entirely. 1t was also great mistake to
NOV grass too close, especially the coarse
growing varieties. 1t may be late to talk
about cutting grass early, but he thought
farmers did not properly appreciate how
early it should be cut.
Mr. Scott of Craftsbury cut his before it
heads out, aud with warm stables makes as
good butter and as large quantity as in sum.
mer. Hay is cured too much it does not hurt
as much as most suppose if it heats a little.
Hay tedders are very useful he would as
soon do without his mower as without his
tedder. Glover may be cured better in two
days with tedder than in three without,
and oitentimes this difference 10 time saves
the crop, and the price Of the tcdder
may thus be saved on large farms in one
day
Tuesday afternoon.
Meeting called to order by the chairman,
s. II. BascOm, Esq. The discussion of the
subject under consideration at the time Of
adjournment in the morning was resumed.
MIR Il. S. Barber Of Benson would state that
his soil was clay; he thought dry clay lands
we're little benefited by top dressing, he found
the best results from top-dressing loan and
wet lands. He thought the dry clay lands
should be plowed and stocked with a good
coat OF manure and grain.
VI OTWeH Sdlu uiS SOIL
was clay, and we're benefited more by plow.
ing and seeding with grain than by top.
dressing.
Mr. q. Il. Abel of Orwell said his expert
ence with clay soil was similar to that of
Mr. Barber. He manured very heavily when
he stocked, he sowed half bushel of grass
seed per acre, except when he sowed redtop !;
Of this he used more. lie thought the best
way was to manure heavily on greensward
and seed or stock on that.
Mr. +. Ward of Orwell would differ from
Mr. Hubbard little in regard to stocking
land. lie thought it best to stock after a
crop of corn with wheat never sowed any
clover. lie had good success with plowing
greensward, taking off light crop Of oats
and putting on about fifteen loads of manure
per acre in September and stocking with
grass seed, his soil was heavy, dark loan,
not a clay. Used coarse manure, did not
seed so heavily rs some, thought it very
desirable that the soil should be well pulver-
lied; thought this great means of success
in stocking.
Mr. Elos Ray Of Orwell had been hand.
ling clay, a sticky one, had had better sue
cess in stocking after only one plowing,
! sowing the seed on the stubble after the
grain crop was taken off, working the land
with wheel harrow TO very fine tlth
when the seed was brushed in.
Mr. ii. Il. Cuts OF Orwell said his expert.
, euce had been like Mr. Rays, had found great
benefit from using wheel harrows lie would
like to hear OF some ono who had used pas-
ter 1; by accident he had used small amount
on a piece Of land he had sold since, and il
I had great effect to increase the crop Of grass
. on dry clay knoll.
e Mr. w. r. Sanford of Orwell had found il
s much better to stock in the fall than In the
| spring, had found no benefit from top.dresc
ing in the spring, but had in the fall
0 Thought good pulverzation a great secret o.
Q success in stocking He thought a mixture
I Of orchard grass, and some Of the very ear
n liest clovers would make an excellent hay.
i Mr. G. &. Pringe gave description o
G orchard grass. The seed, he thought wai
apt to prove abortive, and therefore a greaI
!. deal should be used. He was afraid it woulC
: not be successful on dry clay lands, it would
a thrive better in the shade than in such soils
!. lie thought it was very desirable, and would
e prove valuable in deep moist loan Soils
o Mr. Hubbard in answer to an inquiry
stated that it would last on good soil I
J. number Of years without receedng. 1t wa
I very different from quack grass that wa
r thought by many to be the same.
It Mr. PringIe in answer to an inquiry sal,
r not less than u half bushel Of timothy shoul,
y be sown on an acre, some of the plants woul
be feeble, but if this amount was used,
e sufficient quantity of strong ones would b
G left. ..f
Mr. j. II. Mead of West Rutland the
$ read paper upon "Sheep Husbandry," a
e abstract of which has already been published
o Col Il. A. Stowell of Cornwall then rea