Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-17
Aggienltnral department.
PASTURING MEADOWS IN
AUTUMN.

There Is a strong temptation to pas
ture meadows in the fall, particularly
if there Isl luxuriant growth of after
math. Animals intended for the
butcher or those unusually thin would
thrive so nicely upon this rich Juicy
grass, save large amount of grain,
and thus increase his profits, thinks
the farmer. A superficial reasoning
seems to establish this theory. But
the gain is not as great as he suppos-
es. The injury to the meadow will
become apparent the next haying
season. If the meadow is to be brok-
en- up the following spring, then pas
ture as long as the stock can main
tain itself in a thriving condition.
The droppings will compensate the
soil for the elements removed in the
grass, particularly if the stock is ma
ture and fed daily ration OF grain.
But meadows from which a crop
of hay is to be removed the follow
ing season, are seriously injured by
close cropping. The injury is most
ly mechanical. If the fall season is
a wet one, the soil is soft, and every
step packs the ground, makes the
surface uneven by indenting it be-
meath the hoof, and elevatine that
surrounding it. The roots are bTok-
en- and exposed to the sun, and much
of the grass pulled up by the roots
Grass, like wheat is better by having
a good protection from the biting
frosts and keen blasts of winter. A
liberal growth of aftermath will fur
nish this protection and keep the roots
in vigorous condition. The first
warm days in spring will start them
into action, whereas, if the ground is
bare late in the fall, it will be weeks
before any signs of life appear, and
before the grass becomes matted and
high enough to present the evapora-
ton of moisture, the sun has baked
the ground to almost the hardness of
a brick, after which there is little if
any growth.
STALKING NEWLY SET TREES.
Skillful planters long since found
that young transplanted trees do not
need stalking if those only one or two
years old are taken, and copious
supply of roots of good length is Sc
cured when they are taken up. The
shortening back of the last seasons
shoots makes the head so light that,
with the bracing of the roots, the
wind rarely or never displaces them.
But larger and older trees are some
times necessity, and long and am
pie roots are not always secured. In
such cases it is well to prevent them,
after transplantlng, from being whip
ped about by the wind, by the aid of 6
stake to each tree. One way of do
ing this work is to drive the stake up
right into the bottom of the hole be-
fore any earth is thrown in $50 as no
to hit the roots,) and then tie The
tree to this upright stake. To pre-
vent the tree from becoming chafeC
, against the stake, small straw or ha,
bands are used, passing them be
tween the tree and the stake. An
other mode of stalking, which may b.
used after the tree is set, is to place
the stake in an inclined position, ant
to give it sufficient frmness a hole i
made with a crow-bar into which it i
driven. To this stake the tree is firm
ly bound with hay or straw bands il
the way already mentioned. Wher
quite large trees are removed, it i
N sometimes necessary to insert tire
inclined stakes, in the form of q tri
. pod. When small trees are set il
" autumn, in windy places, smoot
y and complete mound of earth vii
,s hold them well against the wind. A
the same time the earth mound vii
=, guard the tree from the attacks O
,o mice, and will afford partial protec
ton to the roots from the frost o
winter. 1t must be levelIed early i
IN the spring.