Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-08-31
Home and Farm.
FALL TREATMENT OF GRASS LANDS.

Out Of the large number OF respon-
SEES received to our list of questions
proposed last spring, chiefly in refer
ence to grasses and their manage
ment, nine-tenths stated that they
pastured in the fall, to = greater or
less extent Another significant fact
in this connection is that nine-tenths
Of these nine-tenths who practice fall
pasturing deprecate the practice, be-
lieving it to be injurious Had we
asked one other question: do you
top-dress your meadows either in fall
or spring." we have no doubt that
nine-tenths would have replied in the
negative. The responses received
correspond with our observations on
these matters, and we cannot be far
out Of the way in our conclusions In
regard to top-dressing, The prevail
ing practice. hen. Is topasture mead
ows IN the fan and never top dress
with any material whatever.
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 repro
duction, and a state Of exhaustion
necessarily follows season Of rest,
so to speak dnripg, which. the plant
recuperates its exhausted energies,
and stores up in its roots the material
for future growth. The foliage put
forth by the first feeble efforts Of the
plant after it is cut plays an import
ant part in this work OF recuperation,
and if it is cropped close and late, cap
any one doubt that proportionate in
jury to next yeats crop must result?
Before the moving the roots were
shaded and the ground kept moist
and in good growing 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 condition TO resist such with
ering effects. Under such circum-
stances, can any one doubt the bene-
fetal effects OF liberal top-dressing
Of some stimulating fertilizer, that
will start the plants into immediate
action, causing them to throw out q
growth to take the place Of the one
removed? Instead OF this, however,
no fertilizer is applied, and stock is
turned in 70 eat of the protection
which the plants unaided would sup
ply. II this cropping is continued
late, as it generally is, the field Is left
bare, with exposed roots, when win
ter sets in, and the following spring
the owner wonders why his grass has
frozen out so badly. On wet mead
ows the tramping Of stock has q most
injurious effect, and they always Sc
lect the best Of the grass, leaving the
worthless wild species to flourish and
obtain the mastery.
1t must be remembered that the
whole process Of raising hay is an un-
natural one When nature manages
a grass crop, without Interference,
re-seeding goes on every year. and
young, fresh, vigorous plants are COM
ing 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, falling
down in the fall, furnishes a protect
ing blanket during the winter and a
rich top-dressing in the spring. We
can not hope to work successfully
against nature. in any undertaking.
and hence the man who never returns
to his grass lands an equivalent for
what is -emoved and who annually
crops his meadows early and late,
finds them run OUT in q short time,
and he is compelled to renew them,
at the expense of very much more
time and labor than would be necss-
sary to preserve them. The practice
Of one of the 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, il very heavy and likely to
impede the growth Of the succeeding
crop he pastures 1t to correspond
ing extent In regard TO the material
to be used in top-dressing. more will
be said at another time. Any fine
fertilizer-barn-yard or road scrap
ings, lime, ashes, compost, plaster,
etc.,-whieh you have on hand, or can
be obtained readily, should be applied
without hesitation or unnecessary de-
lay.-Ohis Farmer.