Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-10-02
PASTURES.
The Disappearance of tho Best Grasses
Necessity of Renovation.

The evils that are experienced in pas.
ture grounds are the gradual disap-
pearance of the best grasses, the
growth of MOSES and weeds in their
stead. and the prevalence of coarse
heroage which cattle reject, in situa-
lions where there exists q superabund-
ance of moisture. Wherever there ara
stegnant waters, as upon fiat surfaces
that abound in springs, or which have
q superficial soil upon q tenacious SUBJ
soil, the heritage is not only mainly re-
jected by the stock, but the pasture is
unhealthy. particularly to sheep; but it
isremarkcd thatif the watcrisin contin-
uedmotion. as is generally the case upon
the declivitics of hills and mountains,
IN consequences do not often result.
10 remedy the evils enumerated, and
to improve the value OF pasture
grounds, n or more of the following
expedicnts may be resorted to, viz,
sowing and narrowing in grass seeds,
scarifying. draining, manuring, top
dressing with ashes or chemical ferti-
lizers. 1t is of little use, however, to
sow seed without top-dressing. When
this is done clover and fine grasses
spring up indigcnonsly from seed
already in the soil, but not
in condition to gcrminate till
the soil is enriched. Grass seed NAV
be sown in SeptembSor April, followed
by the harrow, and, if practicable, the
roller. The harrow partially extirpates
the MOSES, breaks and pulvcrizes tho
surface. and burics the seeds: and the
roller presses the earth to the seeds
and smooths the surface. The bush
harrow is to be preferred. This may
be constructed by Interviewing some
strong. but plant branches Of trees
through the open squares of a heavy
harrow, which thus forms an efficient
brush. and when drawn over the
ground performs its duty perfectly dur
ing q short distance, but the branches
being pressed close and worn by the
motion. soon become so flat as not to
have the effect of spreading the earth
thrown upon the surface by earth
worms, ground mice or ants. 1t is
therefore recommended as q better
mode to fix the branches upright in q
frame, placed in the front part of the
carriage of the roller, BY which means
they can be so placed as to sweep the
ground eflectually, and when worn can
be moved a little lower down, so as to
continue the work with regularity.
This operation also completely breaks
and scatters the dropped on
the field by the stock, and Incorporates
it with the surface mould. Scarifyinr
is cutting the sod and l~ooscning the
surface; in most cases the smooth
ing harrow performs the work
to the best advantage. 1t
slices the sod without tearing it. and is
best used when the ground is in a
moderate state of mo .sture, and the
grass short. II the land is poor or
moss-bound it may be passed cross
wise also. 1t is advantagcously used
to precede the sowing of grass seeds.
Draining improves the quality Of the
heritage, and manuring, lining or ash
ing increases the quantity. It is no.
t'ced that ANIMAL dung, when dropped
o. coarse pastures, produces tile
OF no benefit; but when cabcarous
matters have been laid upon the sur
face. the finer grasses 500 take pos
session Of it. Bushing. chat is. draw
ing over the ground tops or heavy
branches of trees, tends to extirpate
moss. loosens the surface to atmos-
pheric influences, and covers grass seed
which may have been sown previous
to the operation. Manurcs arc sell
dom applied to pastures for the
reason that not enough is made
on the farm for the wants of
the titled land. and the pastures
in genera: being remote from the
barn the expense of hauling makes
its use more profitable to apply it
nearer where it is made. Gypsum and
ashes may be applied with undoubted
benefit in most cases; but the dressing
used for lawns, IL mixture OF one
part OF nitrate of soda. one part mu-
riate of potash, and II part Of fine
ground Charleston phosphate, well
mixed together, and the MIXTURE APP
piled broadcast at the rate of 400
pounds to the acre, at an expense not
exceeding SIS. VIII turn worthless pas
lures into good feeding ground. The
same application, once renewed. will
produce over II ton of hay to the
acre; and. ii the land is smooth, it can
be converted into moving, as it not
only increases the quantity of the
grass. but greatly improves the quality
of the same. This fact is easily demon
slrated by dressing one acre OF a large
pasture with this mixture. and the cattle
will feed on that acre as long as there
is any heritage LETT, to the neglect OF
all the rest OF the field.
1t need hardly be added that bushes,
thistles and other perennial weeds OBJ
str,ct the growth of grass, and that
they ought to be carefully extirpated:
and that surface stones diminish the
heritage in proportion 10 the extent OF
surface they occupy. These should be
consigned to the bitches in the swamp,
where they will settle to the
bottom. and ii enough are used,
will form an underground drain.
aud as they settle to the bottom
they raise the surface OF the swamp.
The weeds that intest pasture grounds
are mostly bicnnials or perennials. If
these are cut two or three times q sea-
son. at the surface of the ground. they
will de. Leaves are us essential to
vegetables as lungs are TO animal life.
D.vcsted of these elaborat ng organs,
the vitality of the vegetable is soon de-
ctrovnd 0nT Na.iura grounds ORC