Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-09-03
agricultural.
Pasturing stubble Fielda

dobuA AAh SbeSSAS = AN"
There are many farmers who count on
the few weeks range in the stubble fields
TO give relief TO their overstocked pas
lures We have always considered the
practice of turning stock onto the young
clover and timothy after harvest losing
business. The sooner the pasturing be-
gina the worse for the coming crop Of
clover and timothy. The young stuff
has not yet firmly rooted aud is heavily
taxed BY heat and drouth and much Of
it will perish il the weather is unfavor-
Bile. Ia its feeble condition the extra
tax Of tramping and grazing will de-
stroy much more. With young plants
as Young animals we need to lend a
belpiug hand TO insure the best growth.
There is no profit in runts. Neglect to
give shelter and nourishment checks
growth early aud tho fields are filled with
scapt pastures and stunted animals.
The young clover and grass in the stub
BILE fields are not there for tiding over
the stock this season, but to fill barns
next wear with abundance and, what is
of far more Importance to the future of
the farm, to fill the soil With lusty growth
Of roots that may feed fat coming crops
The check put on the young clover
and grass will not be visible this fall
Enough young plants and weeds will
survive to give green appearance to
the careless observer. But close in
spectlon will show thousands Of young
clover plants have persisted where the
imprint of hoof is visible, and even
young timothy and orchard grass has
been pulled up by the roots under the
pull made by grazing cattle. The value
of the coming crop has been materially
lessened.
If one is compelled to pasture the
stubble fields in which young clover
and grass have started the damage is
much less if stock is kept off until there
is a good bite and the young plants are
more freely rooted and the fall rains
have carried them over the trying period
that follows harvest. We think there
is more lost than gained by the practice
of pasturing stubble fields set to grass
and clover. In dry fall the loss is
hard to estimate. If we. are so fortu-
nate as to have plenty of rain in August
the young plants will make such vigor-
Gus growth that few weeks pasturing
may be had and little damage follow.
A close, even, well-set meadow or clover
field is 80 desirable and 80 difficult to
secure that we can better afford to fore
go the seeming gains that may come
from pasturing this fall We hear some
express fears that the young seeding
will get so rank ss TO smother itself out
We like to see just such conditions
often, and then instead of turning on
all the stock we can find or buy We pre-
fer to run over the promising field with
the mower without the grass board,
leaving the growth rs mulch, help
to the land aud to the coming clover
and grass crop. This leaves the field
clean aud with uniform covering. II
pastured down there will be rank places
untouched and weaker places grazed too
close. II one has full appreciation of
the value of an even stand Of clover and
grass he will not risk the trimming OF
the tall growth to animals that trim
most where least is needed and neglect
TO trim at all where it is most needed.
Nor will he Craze until the young crop
is no weak that much will winter.kill
We never saw young clover stand
hoave out that had been clipped with
the mower, but we have seen it out OF
the ground in spring whore grazcd late
and short in the fall.
We cannot afford to risk the loss of
clover aud grass crop in arotation. The
loss is too great. The safeet way is to
give the young plants the best chance
possible They will repay us in the
even stand and vigorous growth to fol-
low. A field half covered with stunted,
feeble clover or grass is no credit or
profit TO the owner. Care for the young
things and they will repay us when they
are older. Il. N. B. IN The Gazette.