The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-04-01
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GRASSES EoR PASTURE.
Grasses Considered from the Standpoint
of a Mixed IIusbandry.

Grasses Considered from the Standpoint
of a Mixed Husbandry,
At an Ohio farmers institute, where
the interests of stock breeders was espe-
eially considered, long paper was read
IN pasture grasses, in which occurred
the following; How long land should
be allowed to continue in pasture or
meadow will depend much upon circum-
stances. Unquestionably the best plan
for farming is the practice of mixed hus-
bandry-raising grain and fattening do
nestle animals, By this method a rota-
tion is necessary, and this increases the
productiveness of the land, and crop
failures are rare. In the practice of
most farmers meadow lands are seldom
continued more than three or four years
without change to the plan. Pastures
are undisturbed for longer time, usual
ly determined by the indications of fail
ure to produce remunerative crops.
AS rule, drainage is as beneficial to
grass lands as to titled lands. The selec
ton of grasses depends upon circum-
stances, such as soil, drainage, habits of
growth, etc, New grasses should be in
troduced, but cautiously. Pasturage
should be adapted to the soil and the
kind of stock kept. Cattle, horses and
sheep are different in their feeding
habits. Cattle want grass long and lux
uriant. Horses and sheep delight in
short but sweet grass. Judicious man.
agement of stock upon pasture is essen
tial Do not turn on too early. Give
the grass time to make good start.
Sheep are most destructive to turn on
grass too soon, as they eat the heart out
of it. 1t is nice question to determine
when to take stock off of pasture in the
fall; this will depend upon the season.
When running on pastures too late, the
land is injured much by tramping and
breaking the sod.
In mixed farming variety of grasses,
with clover, should be sown and an
abundance of seed used. These can be
sown for meadows and pastures; Blue
grass, timothy, redtop, rye grass and
clover, and they can be sown with or
without grain. Rolling meadows in the
spring, narrowing and sowing fresh
seed on thin places will improve them.
Top dressing with fine, well rotted ma
nure is of great benefit. The permanent
pastures of the country are mainly made
up of native grasses. The most nutri-
5ious and valuable of these is blue grass,
which is indigenous to Ohio and most of
~ ct, hn
valley. Pastures should never be grazed
too close early in the season. Should
the roots be exposed to the hot, dry
weather of the summer it would result
in serious damage. Some fall growth is
necessary to give the plants strength for
good start in the spring, A little grass
left upon pastures in June should not be
a source of anxiety. During July and
August the growth Of grass is not suffi-
cent for stock With the very evident
increasing tendency to drought in this
country, the farmer should provide sup
Elemental crops to supply deficiency.
Fodder corn and sorghum are among
the best of such crops.
In the discussion that followed the
reading of the foregoing, a farmer pres
ent said: The suggestion to prepare for
the shortage of pasture that comes along
in August and September, by having
corn fodder, is good one, but believe
there is better way than that, even.
have found that our blue grass pasture
of July becomes very woody in the stalk.
To obviate this difficulty use orchard
grass SOW it in the spring. 1t makes
better stand by sowing in April OF
early May than in the fall. By cutting
in June we have good, strong grass.
1t does best when the blue grass is short.
Don't turn on to the orchard grass until
after you have taken off the seed, and
then you have good grass to pas
ture with, and you will find in feeding
that cattle like it. Horses and sheer
like this better than anything we had
on the farm in November, and they ate
1t down close find that in sowing the
field with orchard grass, leaving the
blue grass stand. have in the spring ar
excellent Blue grass pasture, and when
this has grown up and burned down
have the orchard grass, If, in severe
winter weather, an occasional run Of
mild weather comes, such pasture i:
quite godsend to the stock"