Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1890-02-20
How to Make Permanent Meadow.

FOrpermanence Of any work the foun-
datiOn must be of the best kind, and
such as to meet all future needs and ex
igencies. A meadow needs to be pre-
pared for year, or at least some
months ahead, and, as it is valuable
possession, it deserves careful and thor.
ough preparation. 1t is often remarked
that our meadows are not as good a:
those made by English farmers. Nc
doubt this is true. But the reason al
legged, viz, that it is owing to climatic
differences is wholly wrong. 1t is not
our climate, but our methods which are
defective. In the noteworthy bluegrass
regions of Kentucky, Tennessee and
parts of Missouri, one may see the most
verdant and luxuriant meadows, thai
have existed as they now are for forty.
fifty or even one hundred years. II
may be said that these meadows are nat
urally fitted for grass, and the grass is
naturally fitted for the SOIL That Is u
precisely. The fitness of the two fol-
each other is perfect. But what is ma
ture? Is it not something within the
power of man to controls? Natural laws
are not changed by human agency, but
they are turned to our uses by skillful
appliance of the right means. A wheat
crop of forty bushels per acre is nat
ural product on well-cultivated farm,
just as much as a five-bushel crop IS
when the land is permitted to become
barren by neglect of proper cultivation.
And so a permanent luvuriant meadow
10 q natural product developed by art
and skill from natural resources. The
English meadows, which are viewed
with pleasure by every traveller, are
made in this way. Let us follow out
the work as it is done. The land is fall
lowed for a summer. plowed deeply, and
replowed and narrowed until the soil is
completely broken up anil made as fine
and clean as a garden; stones are re-
moved; drains are made if needed, and
every facility for nature to work is at
forded by removing every obstacle. The
land is enriched with manure and lime.
When everything has been done the seed
is sown-not one kind only, but several,
and in the most liberal measure. The
varieties of grass are chosen to suit the
soil, and when sown evenly over the
surface, the seed is covered with har-
row, SO that the young and tender plants
may have a firm root-hold and not suffer
or perish if few hours of hot sunshine
or a few dry days. come upon them.
The growth is not checked by untimely
pasturing and poaching of the soil by the
hoofs of cattle. Not until the roots have
spread and matted in the soil and can
support the weight md tread is stock
turned in and at first only small ami
mails. calves or sheep. are permitted to
Craze the meadow. Tut even when the
growth is full and the meadow will fat
ten one steer to the acre, the work is not
thought to be finished. New seed, top
dressing of compost. literal dressing OF
bone dust, superphospl,ate, gypsum, or
nitrate of soda are given when needed
and, in time, as tho meadow becomes
old, it becomes den e mass of turf, so
thick that the grass cannot be parted so
as to expose the soil TO view, and is val
aed at a thousand dollars per acre and
pays interest on this great value. If the
American farmer would have perma-
nent meadow. he must go and do like
wise, and he can have it in spite OF CHI
mate and seasons.