Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-12
THE FARM AND HOME.
HOW TO SECURE A GOOD PET
MANENT PASTURE.
Luxurlant, Rapidly Growing Herbage-
Feeding Horses-sIore Potash
Bones for POultry-Farm
Notes, Home Hints.
permanent Pnstnrr.

There is no question OF more I'M
portance to the dairyman and gem
eral stock breeder than that OF secur-
ing good permanent pasture. 1t
is so rarely that we see such a pas
ture that it is worth while 10 consid-
er how we can obtain it. The de-
sired permanence for grass for
pasture is secured only when the
grass will stand continual cropping,
is hardy, and will produce a success
sion OF good grOwths. II must
naturally form a thick, close turf, in
order to resist the injurious effects
Of dry weather, and at the same time
to form such thick mating over
head late in the season as will pro-
tect the roots from the severe cold Of
winter. The danger to good grass
lands late in fall cropping comes
from the alternate freezing and thaw-
ing which breaks up the ground and
exposes the roots of the grass 10 the
cold. and if the tops Of the plants
are all eaten off, there is no protec-
tion left. Where there is good
covering, however, the grass roots
are kept from being winter-killed.
and the turf is also so thick that frost
will not throw the roots up TO any
great extent.
On low, heavy soils a permanent
pasture should as rule be little
different from one situated upon a
high, dry soil On the low, heavy
soils, red-top. alsike, meadow fescue
and some of the clovers do we'll for a
permanent pasture. Glover itself
will not stand much pastlring. but
even In permanent pasture field it
helps to fill up with great amount
of nutritious heritage, and il is valu-
able to mix with the other grasses.
For the first two seasons il will yield
an abundance of grass for cropping.
Red clover, however, is not very good
in a permanent pasture. and it is
better to leave ii out and take some
of the other varieties.
On light, dcy soils, such as we have
scattered all through our hilly sec
tions and on the sides OF hills, "a per.
manent pasture can be obtained bet
ter by making mixtures from some
Of the other grasses, says the Aneri-
can Cultivator. For instance, selec-
tions can be made with success from
orchard grass. Kentucky blue. alsike.
red clover and meadow fescue. These
can be added to when desired. for
many other grasses appear 70 be pro-
life in certain localities that do not
grow we'll in others They will gen
orally add to the mixture Of these
selected grasses. The question OF
cheapness must also be considered.
for in making our mixtures for a
permanent pasture IL does not always
pay to select the most expensive
seed In the end the costly varieties
are not always the most prolific and
nutritious.
In making a permanent pasture
two questions must be kept in mind
continually. One is that we need
luxuriant plants and a vast amount
Of rapidly growing heritage The
plants must continue TO grow through
the whole season. The other point
is that we need a thick, close, dense
turf. Without this the plants will be
killed by the late fall cropping. and
the pasture will quickly degenerate
Nearly all permanent pastures need
an annual top-dressing. and they will
last longer and produce more with
such treatment.