The Panola weekly star., 1884-04-12
Care NJ the Meadows.

A great deal Of mischief may be done
by ihonghtlcss paslurlng 0f the mead.
0ws In early spring In haste 10 pluck
the first friii Of the suns warmth and
the milder brcezes Of spring, by turning
the cattle out TO pick q scanty and
scarcely helpful motItbful Of hcrbage,wc
destroy the future growth without any
benefit. just as the thoughtless, eager
boy hastons TO gather the first apples
from the tree, and suffers the pains and
penalties for his error, besides losing
the fruit which would be useful nj It's
time Of maturity, so the equally
thoughtless farmer Injuries his cattle by
impairiDg their taste for dry food be-
fore he has any adequate supply Of
grass; sometimes. too, reducing the
yield OF milk by the immature hcrbage
and its unwholcsomc effects, while he
greatly in'ures the field by trampllng
the soft soil and checking tho growth Of
the grass. II Is common practice, but
one to be carefully avoided The good
and careful farmer will never be driven
TO malfe use Of expedents Of this kind
TO fill out the feeling Of his cattle.
Down In the mows there will now be
uncovered the first cutting Of hay,
sweet, tender and nutritious, and this
Is the natural link which comes between
hay and grass, for II partakes Of the
character Of both. And this will keep
up the flow Of milk and the decreasing
appetite Of the cows for dry food until
the grass has become firm and well es.
tablished. and the ground Is dry and
solid and can bear tho pressure Of
hoof without being poached and trod.
den into muddy holes.
There will be time, too, to repair tho
meadows and pastures by narrowing
and fresh seeding where the grass has
run out or 10 spread manure or fer.
tilizcrs on these bare spots. Our
climate Is not favorable TO the peren.
NAL vcrdurc Of meadow. The cold
winter In many cases beaves the sod,
and lifts II wholly from the soil Us II n
knife had been passed under II. II
this Is not repaired before the ground
dlfcs, and the roots pressed back into
the soil aud protected and nourished by
some manure, the grass dies and weeds
appear In its place. On the other hand,
the hot, scorching sun burns the roots
Of tho thin grass and leaves them dead
In tho soil. Through the winter the
dead horbago decays, and in the spring
the bare soil Is seen. This requires re-
pair by narrowing and new seeding,
and Of course while the new seed i
taking root II will not bear tramplng
by cattle. Again, meadows intended
for hay should never be pasturcd; or, II
this Is hardly ever done. IL should be In
the fall, when A too heavy aftermath
| might become an obstacle 10 tho
mower tho next season. Spring
pasturing Of moving land can ndt
bo defended or excused. and the
farmer tempted thereto by search
~ OF feed had better buy
hay or fodder TO carry him through
than burn his candle Mt both ends by
eating down the young growth OF his
hay crop. For this not only lessons It's
quantity. but Il makes late moving and
a late recovery OF the grass, which In n
dry season may not recover nj all. but
perish by tho shock. Tho first rule OF
the farmer should be- everything to its
proper use," and TO pasture hay
meadow Is MS unwisc as Il would be TO
pasture down field OF corn In the vain
effort 10 make something more out Of II
than nature intended. We can not beat
nature In that way. and wc can not
pasture meadow In tho spring and
cut hay In the summer with economy
| mr. nrotit Wa too oftpn make tho mis-.