Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-06-28
E.p..Im.. u, P..s...a

E1pOstmental faoe0f0A
To every farmer the pasture 10 i'm
portant and the science OF keeping
pastures In good condition Is one Of
the most necessary branches OF ex-
perimentation. Pastures are neglected
to a most surprising degree. At every
experiment station should be At least
one pasture kept In >an ideal manner.
1t Is perfectly proper for q station to
handle some Of its ground on wrong
principles. to show the effects OF
wrong methods. But there should be
a correct standard. During the last
few days the writer has visited two
southern stations. at each OF which
the pasture was an important part of
the farm. But the. contrast was very
marked. At one station the pasture
would not be credit to any farmer
In the northwest. II was worn down
to the ground. and the growth OF for
age was meagre In the extreme. The
writer marveled at finding SO poor q
pasture at q United States Experiment
Station. There was some good stock
feeding upon II. but the area to be fed
over was necessarily great.
At the other station the pasture was
credit to the station and could be
used as pattern by any farmer to
advantage. II was small In area. but
the forage was dense. During all last
year II pastured u good deal more
than one COW per acre. The sod was
thick and was made up OF the matted
roots OF several varieties Of grasses.
The varieties OF grass had been chosen
to give continuous feed throughout
the year. Ono variety natures at one
time and another at another time.
When one kind Is eaten on and no
longer sends up new growth. another
Is Just giving Its greatest volume OF
leaf and stalk. Summer and winter that
pasture is good. The cattle are not
kept on one pasture all OF the time.
but are put on another pasture when
ever the frst pasture shows = sign OF
getting weak. One OF tho professors
said TO the writer: I'VE could not pos.
sibly put that land into any grain
.rop that would yield profit equal To
that we receive from pasturinE It."
That tells the story Of the whole situa-
'ion as Il exists north and south. 20
far as pastures arc concerned.
Tho good pasture mentioned 10
watched as carefully a. any part Of the
farm and Is given treatment OF manures
whenever Il needs Il. The cattle on
IL receive q daily feed Of bran and oil
meal. and thus the ground daily rc-
ce'ves droppInss rich In nitrogen. II Il
ever does become thin II will be put
into some other crop for awhile. Thus
will bc brought In the question Of ro-
taiion OF pastures. one Of the greatest
OF Importance on thin or sandy lands.
In tho south especially this work ~i;S
the pastures Ia one that should not b
neglected. II ever the southern farm
IL TO be made general farm Il mus;
have a good pasture. and on some
lands. especially those that leak bad.
iy. that means rotation Of the pastures
with something else.
Tho writer does not wish to eTieti.
cisc the work Of any experiment sta
uon. but he cannot help feeling tina,
tho subject under discussion 10 OF
prims importance. Said one station
director. Come and sec our expert
mental grass plats: notice you north
crn mon that come down here always
inquire aSou, them. and reckon you
will be interested" Yes. the northern
farmer Is interested In the grasses. for
hs knows that they are. In his section.
the basis Of all general farming. Hc
cannot help wondering how the south
ern farmer can do anything without
them. at least for pasturagc. We do
not believe that any obstacle exists in
the way OF good pastures in the south.
and We hope they will receive full con-
alteration by all the stations