The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-05-22
SHADE IN PASTURE.
Little OF 1t Necessary to the Welfare of
Grazing Stock.

Grazing Stock.
In regard to shade in pastures, there
are two extremes in practice. In our
wooded districts, the common pasture,
there Is more or less heavy growth of
tlmbers with considerable under-brusb.
The other extreme is found in the
prairie sections, where often there is
not a bush large enough to shade a
rabbit. Both of these classes of pas
lures can be improved; be made better
than they were by nature.
Every farmer knows that if he has a
tree growing in his meadow or field,
that 1t Is not under its shade that tho
largest amount of grass or corn will be
found. Neither will that which is
grown there be of the best quality.
Shading the sun from the grass and
taking the nourishment out of the soil,
by the tree, are both injurious. So that
TO get the largest amount of growth of
grass in a pasture, one must have as
little shade there as possible.
But does the stockmen want to re-
move all the shade from the pasture?
Besides the objections to shade named,
it is said that if there is shade ina pas
ture, the cattle will lie under it and do
not Craze. Hence they remove all
shade to make the stock eat, as they
think, more of the time. 1t is true that
il stock is deprived of all shelter from
the heat, they will eat more of the
time, but more slowly, and even then
they will stand in the hot sun and chew
the cud. Cattle can not eat continu-
ously any more than man can, and
they must have time to masticate what
they have hastily swallowed while
grazing, The chewing of the cud
must be done slowly, and the animal
should be as comfortable as possible
while tie process is going on, or it will
not be veil done, and in consequence
the animal will not thrive.
To the objection that no grass at all
will grov where the stock collect under
shade, tits enough to say that whatever
trampingis done under a tree or shed
is so mucl removed from other parts
of the fell. If the pasture is provided
with shate, the cattle make use of it
during he hottest part of the
day, and iced morning and evenings.
If the pastures are not provided
with shate, we urge our readers to
take STEPS at once to remedy the
defect. it is money out of pocket
not to proTide for the comfort of cattle
that one expects to grow, or of COWS
that are giving milk. More than that,
it is simpt cruel to force an animal to
stand out N the broiling sun day after
day. Cath and horses have often been
known to Ie killed by sun-stroke, and
any one wno has witnessed painting
sheep and hogs hug under a fence or
any thing hat will afford the least
shade, or sac Il cow or horse try to
shelter if oily the head, can not doubt
that shade is most grateful boon to
the poor brltes. If the pasture is a
prairie one, and there are no trees at
all in it, build some cheap sheds by
setting some posts, putting on some
rafters andpoles and covering the top
with hay r straw. This will answer
until treescan be grown for the purpose.
1t is cooler under tree than under a
shed. The tree once planted is endur-
ing, and it adds beauty to the land
scape. 1t is best also to plant on the
knoll, as there it will be cooler Cole
mans Rurdt World.