The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-10-28
Pasturing Meadows.

If there is one practice more than an
other about which farmers differ, that
practice is in the treatment of meadow
| lands. Different soils, seasons. climate,
seeding, all have their influence in pro-
ducing varying results. This, it is true,
is the case with other crops than that
taken from the meadows. but with the
meadow even in the same localities
where it would seem that soil, climate
and seasons are almost identical, we find
the same variations in practice, the fol-
, lower of each system either satisfied
that his is the best, or that he has be-
come really confounded by the apparent
contradictory results that the years bring
forth. We were struck with this confu-
sion of ideas and results in reading late
discussion on the subject by the Elmira
IN. " Farmers Club. The President
said that he had supposed that pasturing
meadows in the fall was injurious, but
that he had visited the Orange county
dairymen, and found them turning their
stock out on their meadows, immedi-
ately after taking the hay off, and that
they kept up most excellent meadows
He had tried it himself, turning in after
the middle of September. and thought
his meadow was improving. His con-
clusion seems very good one. when he
says that for flat lands, largely composed
of gravel, or other porous soil, he would
keep cattle off until the grass had at
tanned good start, and then it should
not be eaten very closely. President
Thomas, OF the Troy Club, had expert
mented considerable. but was not salts
fed as to the best practice. He had
practiced fail feeding on his meadows,
because of the necessity which he felt of
obtaining the fullest returns possible
from his fields. Last year small
meadow of which he desired to take es-
cal care was left undisturbed through
the fall-not hoof was turned npon it,
Another meadow near by in the second
year after seeding was closely pastured.
On the former he expected heavy grass,
but there was no more than a ton to the
acre, while that which was pastured was
very heavy but there was another diff
/ serence-the latter was plastered He
did not feel like recommending a
top-dressing of barn-yard manure
Secretary Card said that his observation
was that pastured meadows did the best
Mr. Mccain did not pasture n certain
meadow last year, and the crop this year
had greatly improved. He believed the
stock should be kept altogether off of
the meadows, yet he was not certain that
he was right. Mr.. Armstrong said that
there are so many different circumstances
of season, of soil, of condition, of expo
sure and of situation, that it is utterly
impossible to establish anything more
than general rules for the treatment of
our meadows. He had believed with
the majority of those who had spoken,
that it is better to keep the meadows
free from stock, and practiceG on that
belief as far as practicable. Yet he had
gathered this year twenty-cight loads of
good hay from field of eight acres,
which last fall, while in the care of a
tenant, was not only closely pastured.
but it was further outraged by feeding
upon it, in all conditions of weather,
the fodder, corn and pumpkins which
the farm afforded for dairy of twenty
head And so the discussion went on
Suppose that our readers take up this
matter of the general treatment of
meadows. and see if we can get any
more light.
RAPE AS A HONEY PLANT.-K. O.
Krusche, Berlin. Wis, writes the Ameri-
cue Bee JoWnoi: AS honey produc
ing plant the rape is scarcely second to
the linden, producing beautiful gol-
den honey of good flavor, and is in bios
som when nearly every thing else is ont
of blossom, commencing about August
10Th, and continuing couple of weeks.
AS a farm crop, it is as good if not bet