Sharp County record., 1880-06-03
Roouisites OF a Good Pasture.

hCuuici'SD
LAND suitable to produce a crop OF
GRASS is the first essential. IL Is hoV
99ocpssarv that it be smooth, or free
from stones and ravines, or that tne SOIL
he of uniform character and rlchneSS'
Rrol-on and uneven land often makes
verv w excellent pasture. All the land IN N
nssture need not be "high and dry ,
For affording food during protractedi
drouths some low land is desirable. II
the low land can be separated from tIe
high by division fence, stock may pe
kent from the former at times when the
sod would receive injury from the feet
of cattle. If portion of a pasture IS
HIGH and a portion low gooG, supply
of feed may be secured from the tline
the frost leaves the soil in the spring
tiII If enters it in the fall. Pastures OF
nearly uniform surface generally 1all 10
afford supply of grass during the en-
tire grazing season. s,,
A variety of grasses and other fodder
nlants is essential to good pasture;
The greater the variety the larger VIII
he the amount of food produced, while
the supply will be more nearly uniform
during the season it is wanted. Some
grasses are I'm their best estate very
early in the spring, some in the middle
of simmer, and others quite late in the
fall. The varieties that spring up hrSt
are generally the first to fail. Timothy
is a good pasture grass in June, but Is
of little value in July and August
MANY of the grasses afford very large
amount of food during a few weeks, but
at the end of that time afford very little;
Orchard and blue grass will supply feed
LONGER than most varieties, but they
will not produce an abundance at any
one time. In seeding apasture the OBJ
iect should be to insure large amount
of feed at all seasons. i,
1t is much easier to keep supply OF
grass and clover in a pasture that has
an uneven surface than in one where
the land is nearly uniform as respects
elevation and moisture. Red top pro
duces feed abundant in quantity and
excellent in quality in land that is toler-
ably moist, but the contrary is the case
when it grows on high, dry soils.
White clover does its best on dry knobs
and hill sides, but does not flourish on
lands that are moist. Red clover thriyes
on loamv soils that are neither very
moist nor very dry. Alsike or Swedish
clover will grow on land that is quite
moist during large part OF the year.
Red clover and timothy do poorly in a
partial shade, but while clover and
orchard grass flourish finely in groves
that have been cleared of under. brush,
foul meadow and e-joint delight in
swampy places where many grasses will
not grow al all.
A constant supply of pure and tOlera-
bly cool water is essential to a good
pasture. The value of good spring
or spring brook is hardly to be esti-
mated in gold. Its price is above all
wells, pumps and windmills. BY means
of spring a trough or reservoir may
be kept full at all times without trouble
or expense. A large pasture should be
supplied with several troughs or pools
where stock can drink. During very
hot weather animals will suffer with
thirst rather than 90 long distances to
obtain water to drink. If there is but
one place in pasture where water can
be obtained animals will quarrel to see
which shall have the first chance, and
the younger and mere feeble will be
likely to receive injuries. A liberal
supply of pure water is essential to the
production of large yield of good
milk, and it is equally important for the
formation of fat and muscle.
Every pasture should contain some
shelter, which is as grateful to beasts as
to men. If there are no native trees no
time should be lost in planting trees
that will afford shade. Linden and cot
tonwood grow very rapidly in prairie
soil and soon furnish a dense shade.
Many other hardy trees do well on diff
ferent soils. Trees planted in clusters
do much to beautify pasture, besides
furnishing stock places of shelter from
the blazing sun. Wind breaks are no
less useful than ornamental. They pro-
tect grass as well as stock. A wind
break of European larch trees will Or
nament farm as nothing else can
while it will protect the grass for long
distance and furnish delightful shade
A few open sheds formed of cheap ma
terial are very valuable for affording
protection in time of storm. The sup
ports may be posts in the ground while
the roof may be covered with thatch.
The pasture, like all other portions
of the farm, requires constant care. AS
grasses disappear from any cause seed
should be sown that the full amount of
feed may be supplied. The hand
seeJytlhle seJ the or mowing-machine should be
used to cut weeds and tall grass that
run up to seed. The droppings of cat
tie should be broken up and scattered
over the ground. Most pastures re-