The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-08-24
RenOvating Meadows.

When the grass appears to be partially
run out it is sometimes the better way TO
pillow the ground and resecd it in Septem-
Der. But when the surface is smooth
and there are no bare places, that is no
places which are not occupied with grass,
the most economical way to renovate
such ground is to apply a generous dress
ing of fine barnyard manure. If this can
not be procured conveniently, give the
land a top-dressing Of fine muck. In
lieu of any other fertilizing substances
procure some bOnedust and SOW 500 to
1000 pounds per acre. A great many
farmers fall into the grave error OF plow-
ing deep their meadows and other grass
land. The thin layer of humus that is on
the surface should be kept there.
When an old established sod is first
plowed there is large amount OF vegeta-
BILE substance in a more or less advanced
state of decay, comprising dark layer on
much of the surface, and formed by the
annual deposits of dead grass blades, and
more or less matter of dead roots distrib-
uted through the original surface mold.
Where the surface is we'll sOdded over the
ground receives an annual addition OF
vegetable matter as long as it is not close
grazed in the fall. Suppose a pasture,
however, that has been close grazed in the
fall and not MANFRED for many years,
having yielded from twelve to sixteen tons
of green feed per annum, begins to fail,
should the sod therefore be plowed un-
der? Should the goose that lays the
golden egg be killed after having been
annually close, plucked? can perceive
neither reason nor object for such back
ward step; for, as far as have had time
to ascertain, the practice is to manure a
failing upland pasture-lowland or mead
ow pastures being seldom disturbed with
the plow-either before or after blowing,
heavily, and after sowing the seed to pull
verize thoroughly. These processes and
the manure together involve quite full
item in labor, manure, time, ETC., and to
what end except changing better for poor
er surface mold?
BY blowing, the surface mold is virtu-
ally buried or laid by, for it is highly
probable that sufficient heat to decompose
humus does not penetrate the surface
mold of pasture soils more than two or
three inches, if so deep. Hence, if the
sod be plowed six inches deep-not an ex-
cessive estimate--a layer of three inches
of the soil is covered to depth that
places it beyond the reach of sufficient
heat to promote, more or less, ts'decom.
position. Thus removed from its natural
position it becomes inert, remaining chief
" in an unavailable condition till the new
sod, in its turn, be treated to the same
process and position, and its consequences.
We have seen that large proportion of
the best part of upland soils is buried
when a pasture is for the first time plowed,
the humus and other organic matter thus
plowed under being replaced by soil that
is much inferior, both rs to quantity and
availability of its nutritive ingredients:
This first error of breaking up established
pastures leads to the seeming, but unreal
necessity of repeating the mistake nine
times in every ten. 4 .
The upper four inches of the surface OF
upland soils that have not been plowed
probably contains seventy per cent. of the
organic matter-with q sufficient portion
kof mineral elements besides-of all the
organic in the first seven or eight inches
In this case-which appears sufficiently
correct as to proportion-those who pillow
their upland pastures and meadows the
first time turn under more than double the
amount of organic or fertile matter
brought to the surface bt tnKl plowing 6.
Before the young grass on the poor soil
brought up by the first blowing will carry
an average growth of stock it must have
time to root and establish itself by the
usual ratification of fibrous rootlets in
the soil-that is, large root growth al
ready formed is put down to where 1t be-
comes almost inert, decaying very slow
" in consequence of the soil being
too cool to promote rapid decays and
which would lie chiefly unavailable if II
did decay. The new grass then has fifty
per cent. less organic matter in its upper
soil than the old sward had to feed upon
il the original surface mold! Hence the
necessity for heavy man ring is seen
when reseeding after blowing under the
very cream of the soil. It is also. evident
that new crops of grass sown in such con
ditions are sustained chiefly by the ma
nure and only to lesser extent by the
mold Of the land. That the process should
therefore have to be repeated can hardly
be surprising, for we all know that the ef
fects Of manuring as ordinarily conducted
are far from being permanent, that, In
fact, they are usually of short. duration
(Add to this the loss Of ten or twelve ton:
of green and dead or dying roots PloMef
under-a great weight of substance an1
quantity Of organic matter. already
formed into root grpwth-sand welfare, a!
the result Of blowing up established past
ure sods- rfftM 4StaH rul,gs
probably more, fertile substances plowet
under than are added in the manure.
Second-The destruction of suf1cien
root growth already made.