The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-01
Various Farm TOPICS.

A farmer should not be unwilling to be-
stow all necessary care in establishing
good pasture, and, once established, be
should be equally careful that it is neither
injured nor wasted. A good pasture of
small area properly attended to will be
worth more than much larger one when
no care is bestowed upon it. The damage
done to the lands of middle Georgia has
been incalculable where stock has been
permittedyto roam the pastures; and perma-
nent when the soil was so wet that the stock
would sink to their ankles or deeper in the
soft soil. One of the rules of Intelligent
farming that is to be held inviolable is
never to pillow pasture land when it is wet
too wet. Some soils are injured less than
others by such practice, but the damage
to soils in which clay predominates is al
ways so great that it is strange that any
kind of a farmer cannot see that the injury
is far greater than any value that may ac-
crue from the pasturing. 1t requires years
to neutralize the bad effects on soil that is
trodden by cattle while it is saturated with
water. However, much inconvenience may
attend the observance of this rule, it should
never be violated. Selling crops should al
ways be provided so that food can
be cut and fed to the stock in their
stalls, or lots, when wet weather occurs.
A small acre of pasture may be made to go
twice as far by not turning the stock into
it until after the dew has been dried off,
and by letting them remain only long
enough to get a good ration. Forty-five
minutes twice day in the pasUure-in the
morning between 8 and 10 O'Clock,
and in the afternoon between and O'Clock
is sufficient. 1t is the ira m cling and lying
down, and the droppings deposited. upon
the grass or clover that uses up the pas
ture and makes it only one-third as useful
as it might be- This waste should be
avoided. Let the soil be fairly dry before
allowing the stock to go upon it. Never al
low them loose when there IS any water
standing upon it, or when the soil is satu-
rated with moisture. Especially with winter
pasture should this care be observed, never
turning in the stock while there is frost on
the grass. or grain or clover. One hour
to wards noon is sufficient.
WINTER soILING CROPS.
We are limited to a few plants for the
purpose of providing soiling crops during
the winter. Only those that are frost proof
can be used, of course and such as ara
found to be most desirable for the purpose
are rye, oats and barely and to make
either of these available as good winter
crop for soilings, the sowing must be made
early, and the plan recommended previously
for wheat culture is highly applicable to this
crop, whether 1t be rye. oats or barley, sown
separately. or mixed. in well plowed land,
lay off burrows "a to 80 inches apart, and
sow the grain thickly in the burrows early
in September, or as soon in the month as
possible. Apply any fertilizer broadcast,
and cover the seed and fertilizer by running
a harrow up and down the burrows. In
September and October harrow or sweep
two or three LINES. By Dec. Is the rye,
oats or barly, should be high enough to
allow being cut and fed to the mich cows
in their stalls or lots, A little green food is
essential to the health of the cows, and they
should have one good ration of it at least
once day during the winter Oats or rye,
together with turnips, furnish the best crop
for the purpose. We do not mention enSi-
Ldge here, for it is practice that does not
prevail with small farmers, and is not likely
to be adopted in our mild climate after q
fair trial.
On good soiliwell prepared, burr clover
is another plant that may be used
profitably, for this purpose, and so may the
sapling clover, but sowing must be made
under favorable conditions in September,
or early in October to render either valua-
BILE for late winter or early spring
feeding. No green food should be fed to tne
stock while the frost is on it. Defer the
cutting or gathering of such food, whether
grain, clover or turnips, until it has warmed
up Many farmers underrate the value of
tnrnips as a food for mich cows in the
winter, being infiunced by the notion that
a plant so watery and innutritious Com
paratively) is of little value as food. OF
cource, mich cows cannot be maintained