The Redwood gazette., 1901-06-19
GRASSES AND PASTURES.
Mr.. Gilfillan Submits Valuable Paper on
their Treatment.

g AT the. request of q Mr. Gilfllan his
paper on Grasses and Pastures was
read by Julius A. Schmahl. 1t is as
follows: d
After the passage Of certain period, in a
new country, when land becomes partially
exhausted of it's fertility, and the necessity
of doing something to build up the Soil is ap-
parent the most important question for the
farmer is that of pasture. All land that is
too wet in some seasons to cultivate should
be put into permanent pasture. If it cannot
be ploughed it may be seeded on the turf as
soon as the wild grass shows signs of dying
out in spots.
My plan has been to SOW upon the spots
showing decay a mixture of timothy and
blue grass, halt and half by weight, at the
rate of about ten pounds per acre. The lat
ter does not make much of show for about
three years, while the former will show a
good deal of feed hesecond year The farm
er should have a lot mixed continually on
hand and sow as necessity requires. when
the ground is wet, taking advantage of SOW
ing when rain is threatening. It is no use,
whatever, to SOW the seed while the wild
grass is full of vitality. The seed would be
thrown away. Here the doctrine of the sur
vival of the fttest'' can be seen. In course of
time the blue grass will take possession of
the soil, driving out the timothy.
If it is desired to maintain blue grass
pasture the land should be fenced in two
lots, so that the stock can be turned alter
| nately into each In this way much more
feed will be obtained aud stock will relish it
better. Blue grass, generally, by the 10th
! OF July. ceases to grow commencing again
when cool nights and heavy dews occur,
which usually happen about Aug. Goth. In
| the meantime, while the grass is dormant,
| cattle can be fed on green fodder-corn, pe r.
haps. or as in my case, if there is large
area OF pasturage. some part may be kept in
reserve, using the growth of May and Jun e
to feed during the dry period. This grass
will have gone to seed and will look dead.
but cattle will eat it and do well upon it.
Blue grass has advantages over any other
pasture grass. It is stronger, will make
more beef and milk, according to the guam
tity, and the older the pasture becomes the
more feed is furnished by it. have pas
lures fourteen years old and they grow bet
ter every year.
II 1t is desired to start pasture by plough
ing and seeding, it will be well after getting
the land in good tilth to SOW mixture of
blue grass, timothy orchard grass and Glow
er. All these grasses, except the blue grass.
will run out in the course of three or four
years, but by that time the blue grass will
present good stand.
Red top is good for hay, on damp land, o.
that subject to overflow in early spring, but
it is very poor pasture food
There is another kind of grass little known
in this section, j. e.. bromus inermis. Some
three years since Prof. Hayes of the Exper-
imental station, sent me a few pounds of the
seed. which I sowed in two places. 1t caught
well and furnished feed ten days earlier in
the spring than timothy, and cold weather
in the tall does not appear to effect it. This
lengthening the annual period Of pasturage
is of inestimab BILE value to the farmer Stock
eat this grass with avidity, preferring it to
timothy. It also makes good hay. It is
claimed for it that it will furnish good deal
of feed upon gravelly knolls and poor soil
h Throughout the northern part Of the Unit
ed States It is spoken of highly and one Of