New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-11
FARM AND GARDEN.
From The Weekly Tribune. Sept. g.
MANAGING MEADOWS.


There il much of our grass land that does not pay,
vet its Improvement would be easy and compare
tiyelv inexpensive and il is great loss If it Is not
securod But farmers have been discouraged by
unsuccessful efforts in this direction. The custom
was to scatter little seed over the field and so
leave it, Now IL the soil had not strength to sup
port the one crop how could IL he expected to carry
the two7 Then it has been tried to harrow the
meadow SOW the seed and roll 1hs proved 10 DO
better bat still not satisfactory. Cur best farmers
do this with the important difference OF adding
manure-spread either III fall or winter or carry
spring best in the fall. The surface SOIL Will then
have received the washlngs OF the nanurej lne mar
row bringing up fresh soil this mixed with the
manure, which should be fine, there WI Do u bel
for tho seed. The manure should be clean II IL Is
old il will be 50. Such q course never fails II there
is sufficient enrichment and tne work can be done
early SO as to get some of the winter moisture IN
case there should be an early drouth
have mentioned narrowing Some object to
this-which is another error All crops raised by
the farmer are benefited by cultivation. Harrow
ing IL one OF the most successful modes of tlllage.
giving the air n chance and stimulating tho plant.
Unless meadow is good, or almost us good.
as il can be- the harrow will improve It 1t VIII be
cnltiyaing the grass. Yet there are those who are
Mortified at tine thought OF tearing NJ te sod as
have frequently heard 1t expressed ms tearing
up however always proves an advantage, lWlce
passing OYER being better in general than once.
Harrow and crOss-harrOw and then roll. After
that. some concentrated fertilizer may be applied,
or a light coat Ct finely cUmmnutcd manure from
the barn or compost heap. which OF course ~ TO be
event, spread. This will he guard IN some Inea-
sure against drouth, and being old manure Will be
taken up at once fast as the plant can apprO-
pirate IT,.
Sometimes where meadow Is badly run cut. the
land is poughed yet this dres not always give sat
isfactiOn. The reason Is very evident: there is a
lack of fertility. 1t is bat the common fault-an
attempt to do without manure or as little as pos
sible. when it should be the object to see how much
can he used. To plough "a meadow deep for rcsecd-
ing in our clay or duit SOIL is to spoil 1t. In land
porous or cachy II will sometimes succeed, that Is,
TO grow moderate crop. But in our cold compact
claws il will not do. Sometimes an Improvement Is
made by pioughine very lightly, say two or two
and half inches Thus mellow seedbcd Is more
apt to be oil taued. But it is pity in such case to
90 TO the trouble of preparing the land aud incur
the expense Of seed without manure, the very
thing that is needed. 1t does not need much only
let il be of good quality, tne and. most OF all,
evenly spread. In Jumps or spots there Will be
unevenness. and much of the strength will be lost.
Neglect 10 use the roller meadows in spring
will result in loss amounting to several times the
cost OF roller and labor. The benefit of rolling has
long been known and it is almost equally bene-
fetal to pastures only the smoOthness of surface IS
not here required rs in the other case, where the
mower is employed The effect of frost np0n grass
lands is to loosen the soil, which. TO Il certain ex-
tent. Is benefit but beyond this IL II huTtiul, as
il admits too much air especially II an early
drouth and severe winds should occur. Besides, IN
some much Of the grass Is started from Its
place, and some lifted ont. This Is more the case
with clover. and almost always on wet soil or land
not sufficiently drained, and there Is much OF the
latter. Pass the roller over this and 1t will give
cOmpactness to the soil and fix the plants in It..
But IL il to be done mt the right time when the
land is neither too wet roo dry-ust so that 1t
will bear the horses and avoid the mud smoothing
at the same time the land. The time 10 to be
watched: vet il must not he done early that sub
soquent frosts will require re-rolling-IF