The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-13
Improved Southern Pastures.

It lies within the power of each and
every landowner throught the entire
South to determine the manner In
which he individually will answer
that query. If he 80 elects, he can
leave his so-called "pasture" in the
condition so many of them are to be
found in at this present time, to wit
three acres furnishing but very scan.
ty subsistence for one single head Of
livestock, or If he elects, he can so i'm
prove the general condition and fer
tility of his pasture as that single
acre of it shall furnish more and bsttel
grazing than is now furnished by three
acres.
We have seen high, dry and com
paratively poor pine sandy land-lanc
that would have been considered q
dear bargain at fifty cents per acre-se
enhanced in value by Bermuda tax
ing complete and entire possession o.
it Though much against the owners
will or wishes in the matter) that 81
per acre would have failed to purchase
it. We have seen many acres on
high, dry and comparatively pool
sandy pine hills that were 80 heavily
set with Bermuda ahd the turf go
dense that one single acre of 1t would
and did furnish more and better grass
than was furnished by three or more
acres of rich bottom land where the
so-called "native" grasses were the
sole dependence.
One reason the average Southern
pasture is no better than 1t is Is on &C
count of 80 many useless, unsightly
and pestiverous weeds that, each IN
its season, are allowed to take posses
sion and crowd out the more useful
and valuable grasses, as dog-fennel,
sneeze-weed, etc., and that pest OF
every lover of good milk and butter,
the "bitter" weed, each and all OF
which might be eradicated by little
effort in the way of running the now
er, or if too roug b or too many washes
and gullies, even scyth and cutting
them lust as they come into bloom
and before any of the seed have had
time to mature. Hand-pulling Is a
somewhat slower, though surer meth
cd. We have depended EXCLUSIVELY on
the latter; hence it Is b mere chance
if we ever see any of them In our pas
lures, and If 80, they are Immediately
pulled up, and more often than any
other way, carried to the fire and
burned.
We are satisfied that the lee-side OF
Of barb-wire fence is a rather poor
protection from either cold north
west wind or an easterly rain,
sleet or snow, and as it is an undoubt-
ed, and, in fact, that animal heat
must somehow or other be maintain
ed, and also that said animal heat is
far cheaper when maintained from the
outside by the aid offs good shelter
than from within by the more costly
carbonaceous foods. No pasture, even
in the "Sunny South" is complete
without some shelter for the stock to
run to from sudden nortbers, etc.
"The merciful man is merciful to his
beast"
Sufficient timber should be left for
necessary shade, but as grass does
not and cannot thrive where shade
Is TOO dense, all timber not actually
needed for shade Is detriment to the
pasture, and should be cut down with
out mercy.
Whatever arrangements are made
about water, and from whatever
source obtained diving springs are
best), the supply should be both abun-
dant and pure. The health of the
stock it largely dependent on the wa
ter supply, and still more on the puri.
ty of that supply. The fence should
connect with the barnyard by at least
q lane If no other way, and be put up
so firm, stout, close and high that any
and all livestock enclosed therein
shall be actually and positively re-
strained from depredating on either
your own fields or those Of your
neighbors. This tends to keep peace
in any neighborhoad, and may save
lots of trouble both home and abroad
as we'll "a some expensive lawsuits.
The one great error into which many
of our farming friends have been
led is that something can be obtained
from nothing; that the pasture forms
the single exception to natures mex
orable law of restitution or $50 much
for 30 much," and that as the animals
are continually depositing excremen:
titious matters on every square yard
or even foot of it, that instead of the
soil of the pasture becoming depleted
or exhausted of its fertility until grass
refuses to grow and noxions weeds
and useless moss supplant them, that
the pasture of all places on the farm
should finally become immensely rich
and fertile; in fact, the richest land
on the place.
It is needless to undertake to prove
the above to be fallacy; 1t proves 1t.
self on every hand the entire country
over, and in each. and every individu.
al pasture.
TO keep a permanent pasture In
good order and increase its ability for
growing grass, hence its capacity fol
supporting stock, the soil should be
fed, and the more literally it Is fed
the greater the quantity of grass fur.
nished by it and the better Its quality
as far as succulence and nutrition Is
concerned.
1t is seldom necessary to apply nj
trogen to q permanent pasture, the
of the stack and the legum.
inous plants, an the vetches and clo-
vers, Invariably found in every good
pasture, tending to keep up the need
ed supply still we have derived both
and profit from an appli.
cation of fifty to seventy-five pounds
of nitrate Of soda per acre, broadcasted
in early spring before the weather
has become sufficiently warm for &C.
tive nitrifcation to set in.
The pasturing Of stock, particularly
of growing animals and of cows whose
milk is sold, exhausts the phosphate
and potash of the soil very rapidly,
and it is important that these be re-
stored if the sod is to be kept In the
best condition. To do this 500 pounds
Of fertilizer containing 8 per cent.