Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-03-10

condition. by cutting early TWO crops
can be secured on good land. Don't let
clover lodge, but cut it early and often.
Have kept land in good grass seven
years by the use of plaster.
HARRY FLoyD,-The last gentleman
says he does not advise top-dressing, and
then says he has caused good growth
of grass for seven years by top-dressing
with plaster Think clover makes very
poor hay. 1t is too coarse. Am in favor
of cutting often and early, and this re-
suit can best be brought about by top
dressing.
w. P. GAeE.-Plaster makes good
manure. | once top-dressed, and was
much pleased with the result A neigh
Dor, who saw me applying the manure in
the fall, said was throwing it away, but
the next year / had the largest crop of
grass l ever saw on that land. Top
dressing will not amount to much, how
ever, unless there is good sod.
Mr.. DAyIs.-Would like to ask the
gentleman if he thinks he got as good
an effect from that manure, as if it had
been plowed under.
Mr.. Better. / think it the
best way to use manure when buried
in the soil it remains moist; when APP
piled to the surface of sod lands, the
rains carry the plant food down to the
roots in liquid form and the best results
are obtained. don't think field of
bare earth can make as good use manure
as living growing plants, by top.dressing
in the fall we gain In time; for the ma
nure becomes Immediately active and
we get a better sod for the next year
either to raise grass on or to pillow under.
AS far as my experience has extended
red top is the most natural and widest
distributed grass, the seeds being well
furnished with wings are widely scattered
by the winds. In view of these facts it
seems to be desirable grass for cultiva-
ton.
Mr.. DAvIs.-The condition of the
land governs to great entent the kinds
of prevailing grasses. Red top may be
the most natural and not be the best
grass; it will not make as much milk as
herds grass.
G. M. CHAsE.-The man I used to
work for when boy never thought of
failing in seeding. He did not make
his stock eat all the fodder up, but used
coarse manure and by blowing it under
kept the soil light. He pulverized his
land well but did not pack it down after
seeding with heavy roll. Stock tread
ing and feeding on land will make it
hard and ruin the grass. know of
land that has been moved fifteen years
and bears better grass now then other
land that has been seeded often and pas
I, tured in the fall the grass on this old
land is also much richer than on new.
We should consider quality as well as
quantity. Corn and oats generally pre-
cede grass, sapping the soil of its fertili-
ty and then we blame nature because our
crops fail.
B. F. SLEEPER.-Will speak little
from observation. / helped cut some
grass the past season that was seeded in
the fall. The first crop was about two
tons, thick and fine, the second crop was
still larger. This seems to speak well
of fall seeding. Have noticed that this
way insured good a" catch and made
fine grass. Have seen stock do we'll on
the old-fashioned clover; sheep will cal
it in preference to any thing else.
j. r. MoRsE.-After considerable ex
perience l have come to the conclusion
that clover is the best food for sheer
that are raising lambs, but it must be
cut early and cured without exposure tc
rains or it well make poor feed. On &C
count of packing loosely barn full OF
clover would not last as long as a barr
full of most other kinds of hay. Would
never seed with less than ten pounds o.
clover to the acre.
j. W. CLAY, Asst Sec'y.
|