Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-05-20
Unprofitable Pastures.
GlOha DamOcrnt.

uaotctS poAtaiAlue5 w etOCh tSoutuSt0a
in all the stateseastof Illinois TIRE,
acresof land are required to fhrnisl
grass for cow during the six months
she is in pasture, while one acre o.
grass will supply her with. sufficient
hay during the six months she is KEEP
in the stable. II these statements arc
correct, and there is little reason to
question them, they furnish strong ar.
guments in favor of the soilipg system
since by cutting all the food for cattle
twice the number may be kept or
the same amount of land. The, ex.
pense of cutting grass and other
forage crops by Che use of improved
power machines and implements is
scarcely greater than that Of erecting
and supporting fences around pas
lures.
As a matter of course, it, affords
very little food, and that little is OF
very poor quality. 1t would be
strange, indeed, if the quantity of
feed was Increased, or itsq1ality i'm
pro ved by the treatmentit receives.
or rather the neglect that attends it
No fertilizers of any kind are applied
to it, 1t receives the droppfngs of
cattle, but, as they remain where they
fall, they do quite as much injury as
good, as far as the immediate produc-
lion of edible food is concerned. They
Kill the grasses they cover, and cause
. growth of rank grass in their i'm
mediate vicinity that most Kinds Of
stock will not touch. No attempt is
made to Introduce new varieties of
grasses by sowing the seed at suitable
times on the sod. Tue. ground is never
touched by the harrow or roller. In
short, it is given over to rain and
neglect.
In a short time all the grasses die out
in many spots, and their places are
occupied by weeds and moses. The
weeds are not cut and burned as they
should be; they are permitted to
grow aud ripen seed, which are scat
tered far and wide. The pasture is
over-stocked, and the edible grasses
are bitten off close to the roots.
EARLY in the spring cattle are turned
nto it before the ground is suffici-
Gently dry to enable the turf to sus-
tain their weight. AS consequence
it is broken up and many grass roots
left exposed to the action of the
weather. The rain washes the earth
from the roots of some of them, and
The roots of others are parched by the
heat of the sun. If farmers studied how
impair tue value of heir.pasture lands
and resorted to all sorts of pains to
do it, they could hardly accomplish
the object in a more elfectual way
than they do at present.
AS has been before stated in these
columns. the best way to secure a
good pasture in most parts of the
west is to preserve the prairie sod.
1t has sufficient strength TO support
the heaviest animals. 1t produces
large amount of grass that is very
hardy. 1t is not of the best qual>
Ity, but its quality is improved by
cropping from year to year. Various
cultivated grasses and clover may be
introduced in it with very little
trouble or expense. Experiments
made in the west show that it is carrier
TO OBTAIN stand of blue grass on
native prairie sod than upon the land
chat has beer for several years In a
nigh state of cultivation 1t is Ger
tain that clover, common red, Alsike,
or white will remain longer when
started in a praire sod tnan when
sown in a fne, well-prepared sod.
Most of the cultivated grasses may
be introduced on an old soil if the
harrow is first used TO bring small
OF soil to the surface.
Another excellent way to obtain
good pasture is to treat the land for
series ofyears with the express OBJ
ject in view Of making it produce a
large amount OF grasses best adapt
ed to grazing purposes Neither po-
tatoes, corn, nor small grain should
be raised ON it such length Of time
as will essentially impair its fertility.
II should be we'll mapured before it Is
seeded to grass. Seed should be Sc
lected which will produce not large
amount Of grass suitable for harvest
ing for hay; but large quantity of
grass that is relished 10y stock when
In its green state. As dome sticated
animals, like human beings, tired of
one kind of food, pains sho uld be
taken to obtain a start of large
of grasses and clovers. If
the land contains variety OF soils,
each should be seeded to the kinds OF
grass and clover best adapted to it.
In this way variety of food may he
secured, and the largest amount be
obtained.
1t is better to NOW a field at ssleast
two seasons before it is devoted to
grazing purposes. This will help
secure q tolerable firm sod not liable
to injury if animals are kept from it
till the ground becomes settled in the
spring. 1t will also cause the grass
to thicken up and the stalks to be
less course. 1t is well to roll the
fields every spring, so as to press the
roots of the grass and clover that have
been lifted from the soil by the frost
into the ground. A somewhat firm
soil is favorable to the growth OF grass
as 1t is more retentive of moisture
than one that 10 loose. II also forms