Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-14
SOILS AND THE DAIRY.

The JerseyAulletin says breeds of cattle
are of much importance IN the dairy inter
ests, but after all, the real governing ele-
ment in dairy success lies in the character
of the soils where an attempt IS made to
push the industry. The good strain of
dairy stock may be good anywhere, but it
cannot show its best save in regions where
the soils are entirely favorable. The writer
does not refer specially to what soil may
be capable of doing for the ordinary cult
waited crops, but rather 70 its fitness for
giving good pasturage
Our contemporary thinks it doubtful if of
the many factors that have combined to
form the various breeds of sheep and cattle
any one has been so influential as the
pastures on which they have fed Flock
masters have long since learned this lesson
taught by the wool sorters and the epicures
who paid for wool or mutton according to
the pastures on which the sheep were fed.
Beef-makers, too, have learned
this lesson taught by the butchers.
Not less important is pasture to
the dairyman, yet it is only
in the older dairy districts that the inau-
ence of the pasture soil upon the quality of
the milk produced is properly appreciated.
To the average pasture farmer, grass is
grass. It is true that all know that there
are different species of grass, such as blue
grass, orchard, red-top and timothy, and
most have more or less definite prefer
ence for one or the other, But there is a
sad lack of appreciation OF the wide differ
ence that prevails in the same species of
grass grown under different conditions of
soil, climate, exposure and treatment.
Take bluegrass, for instance, sand speci-
men crops grown on rich bottom land may
differ 20 to 30 per cent in fattening quality
from another specimen grown on a soil of
entirely different character. Furthermore,
as certain soils are peculiarly adapted to
the growth of particular varieties of fruits,
so certain soils seem 10 give 4 peculiarly
rich and palatable flavor to the milk, butter
and cheese produced from them. Thus
there are natural dairy. soils Just as there
are. wheat soils and cotton soils. The
farmer who has such q soil ought to lead
the market in making gilt-edge butter
And, We may add, nearly all the farmers
of Texas have such soil Scarcely a blade
of wild grass grows on Texas soil that is
not nutritious and highly relished by stock
In this thing there is something remarkable
In the course of our study of grasses in
Texas last summer we came upon quite
number OF species common to the piney
woods regions along the gulf, east of the
Mississippi river, that over there stock
would have no sooner eaten than they
would have eaten pine shavings from a
planning mill. Here they were eaten to the
ground, not because grass was scarce in the
region, but simply for the reason that they
were relished by stock The Texas soils
had made them good grasses. a thing Ala
bama or Mississippi soils could not do
Under these circumstances who can con
sisteutly say that Texas viii not, event.
ually, be the great dairy region of all North
America She has a soil, generally speak
ing, that makes good everything growing
from It, especially in the way Of forage or
pastUage growths.