The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-18
VALUE OF PASTURES.
A Source of Gain Which Is Not Appre,
ated by Many Agriculturists.

/
ries cattle, sheep and horses are kent
during the entire year on green grass
or on that which was cured without
being cut These animals not only
make good growth when kept in this
way, but become fat. In other States
farm animals are kept in the pasture
eight or nine months in the year, hay
ing no food that was the product of
labor, and receiving scarcely any care
or attention. In localities where the
grass does well, and where there is lit
tie snow, these animals are kept on
pastures during the winter, receiving
no harvested food except during long
and severe storms. The bluegrass
fpiats reserved for winter pasturage are
not grazed during the spring, summer
and fall. The grass is allowed to grow
on them to its full height and to come
to maturity. The upper portion of it
IS Killed by the frost, and il serves as a
| protection for that which is nearer the
surface of the ground. Cattle turned
on these pastures in December have
both green and dried grass to eat, and
| NhSN 1OliOloll1 NO tbo VIGIL dS ll.OSt kpDU
in barns and fed on harvested food.
In States and Territories where the
winters are long and severe, where the
snowfall is large, and where blue grass
does not succeed, cattle, sheep and
horses are kept in the pasture from
seven to nine months in every year. 1t
is while they are in the pasture that
their gain is the greatest and the most
profit is derived from them. With rare
exceptions farm animals increase in
weight and improve in condition from
the time they are turned into the pas
lures in the early spring till they are
taken to the barn on the occasion of
the first fall of snow. From the time
they are taken from the pastures till
they are returned to them the next
spring the expense of keeping them is
very great. while they gain very little
in weight and condition, if indeed they
gain at all. 1t is often the case that
they weigh less in the spring than they
did the previous fall. The pasture feed
produces most of the milk given by
COWS. 1t adds most to the weight of
the tleeces taken from sheep. Itmakes
bone, fat and muscle. The pasture is
the great source of gain to every per-
son who keeps stock. 1t costs little,
but it is liberal in its returns.
Considering how large a proportion
of the profits of the farmer is derived
from the pasture, it is astonishing how
little attention is ordinarily pad to it.
Generally the poorest piece of land on
the farm is devoted to grazing pur-
poses. 1t is set apart for producing
| grass for stock during the growing
season, for the reason that it does not
give much promise of producing pay
ing crops of corn, small grains, pota,
toes or timothy. Nothing is done to
improve it. Often no attempt is made
to introduce valuable grasses and
fclovers. If they appear their presence
is due to accident. Nothing is done to
prevent the introduction and increase
of weeds and bushes. All kinds of I'M
desirable vegetation are allowed to per-
feet seed and to scatter it. No fer
filters are applied to the soil, and the
droppings of cattle and horses are left
undisthrbed to injure the sod upon
which they rest Pastures can not be
expected to improve under such q sys-
tenn of treatment. That their produc-
tons should annually diminish is not
astonishing, We should expect that
they would support smaller number
of animals each succeeding year.
1t is not to be expected that the fer
tility of pasture can be kept up solely
by scattering the droppings of animals
that are fed on it, Much of the grass
they consume is converted into bone,
flesh, fat, hair, milk and wool. None
of these are returned to the soil that
indirectly produced them. Not all the
droppings of animals are left on the
surface of the pastures. Some careful
farmers keep their sheep in folds at
night to prevent their being killed by
dogs and wolves. Cows giving milk
are generally kept in yards during the
night. Fertilizers should be regularly
applied to pastures. There is nothing
better for keeping up the fertility Of
grass land than well rotted and finely
pulverized stable manure that is scat
tered broadcast over the surface. The
manure that has accumulated in the
farm-yard during the summer as well
as the coarse manure that has been
subjected to the rotting process in
heaps can be applied to pasture land
to excellent advantage. Care should
be taken not to let it remain on the
ground in large Jumps.
In nearly every large pasture there
are considerable places that produce
very poor grass because the mechanical
condition of the soil is not what it
should be. 1t is too hard or compact
to allow the fine roots of grass to be-
come established in it, Sometimes the
surface soil has been washed off, leav-
ing little but hard clay and gravel.
When such is the case u light pillow.
cultivator or harrow should be en-
ployed to loosen the soil. Manure can
be applied and mixed with the soil, and
in the spring grass-seed can be sown.
Portions of pasture land that are not
covered with grass generally become
occupied with weeds. moss or bushes.
By working the soil, applying manure
and sowing grass-seed they may be
made productive and enable the pas
ture to carry larger amount of stock.
Chicago Tribune.
"A three-year-old child in Harris
burg, Pa, got bottle of whisky and
drank two ounces. 1t then fell into Il
drunken stupor and its life was saved