The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-10-14
BARE PASTURES IN AUTUMN.
From the American Arricnlturist for October /.


Why should meadows and pastures he brown
and bare late in summer and autumni Lawns
can he kept green, and grass plots for late soil
ing may be made TO yield good cutting in Octo-
Der, "brown October" as it has been called.
The reason is that deal more literally with
our lawns and soiling plots; il is not that we do
not cut them close for no grass land is cut closer
than well-kept lawn. 1t is not the climate
either which we have been ready to blame for
our brown and dry fields, but something in our
management. The fact is, We do not give our
grass lands chance to do the best they can. As
we write we look ont upon grass field which
has been cut the third time, but which has been
top-dressed after the first cutting; and another
beside it which has been pastured since it was
cut in June. The former is in complete verdure,
and the ground is thiekly covered; the latter is
a miserable exhibition of bare brown spots inter-
spersed with masses of rag-weed, left uneaten by
the cows; fair representative of the majority
of meadows and pastures. When we have learned
that il is possible to make more profit from an
acre of grass than from an of any other crop,
we shall do justice to it and treat our meadows
literally. just now it is very important to cOn-
slider what this treatment shall be. A coarse,
fluffy growth should not he left on the surface,
which dies but does not rot, and is in the way of
the mower next season; but this cannot now be
removed by pasturing which would only leave
il in patches, nor by moving, which would he a
costly way of getting rid of it, unless it is con
sidercd that the advantages would override the
r,
and leave the cuttings on the ground as a mulch
and fertilizer, might he cheap way of dispos-
ing of it. But the most helpful thing to do, is to
give fair top-dressing of mature, fine and well
rotted, before the winter. This will be well
washed into the soil to nourish the roots, that
an early and rapid growth will be made in the
spring. after smoothing harrow has been run
over the surface to break up any Jumps that may
remain. This early growth is the greatest adj
vantage, because the crop being cut before the
usual dry weather occurs, a second growth be-
| gins Immediately, aud is ready to cut very soon
after the usual first cutting would have been
made under other circumstances. During the
hot, dry season, the soil is well shaded and pro
tected and the roots uninjured, and when
the second crop has been gathered, third gets
| under way at once. This exaeting treatment OF
course requires liberal return, and in this ease
the "liberal soul shall be made fat In fact,
niggardness sn the treatment of the soil is the
worst economy; while liberality is returned
many fold. This is especially true with regard
! to grgss lands, which in America, on the aver.
| age, can pasture one steer COW, only, upon
seven acres; while in England pastures that will
fatten one bullock per acre are common.
The want of manure with which We should he
liberal is the great difficulty. But this may
! be managed 10y devoting one special compost
heap for this purpose, and enriehing this with
| the addition of bone dust, potash salts, gypsum
| OF phosphate of lime and wood ashes. If this il
prepared in time for use in the fall, and light
dressing of nitrate of soda and gypsum, or grass
fertilizer is given after the first cutting, there
| can be little doubt that the dry brown appear
| ance of the fields will be changed to verdure
and the barns filed with a largely increased
product. r-