The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-07-11

oratory oftener than we had it. lust
as you can have wit whenever YOU
want it.-N. Y. SIN.
Rim ONT pAaruD1a
It is not probable that Eastern pas
lures can be restored to their original
productiveness, for the expense would
be far greater than the land would be
worth ; but it is not too late, nor
would the expense be too great, to
improve their present condition. If
a portion of the pasture be covered
with young forest trees, let them
grow, and leave the land alone. The
time is not far distant when an acre
of timber land will be among the
most valuable on the farm. If much
of the pasture be thickly covered with
brush and briers it would not be ad-
visable to disturb it, unless the soil is
naturally fertile, and can be plowed
and cultivated without the interfer-
ence of too many rocks and stones.
1t will do but very little good to sim
ply cut the bushes once in three or
four years, or every year, after they
have become firmly established, al
though such cuttings will check their
spreading and give more presenta-
BILE appearance to the farm. But
very little feed would grow where
brush, briers and stones cover the
ground.
Where bushes are springing up
here and there over the pasture, cut
and burn them, and plow out the
roots. The next year, or the same
if possible, replow and harrow we'll.
BY continuing this course for two
years in succession, and doing the
work in thorough manner, there
will be no more bushes to cut, and
the land will be in condition where
grass can grow. The pasture with
neither trees nor bushes growing, if it
have firm sod, requires no blowing.
Such land never gets sward-bound,
and it seldom improves by plowing
and re-seeding. Occasionally give it
a coating of manure, or dressing of
some good fertilizer.
But where the pasture has run
out, or produces only scant growth
year, as opportunity ocenfs. II rnfs
,plowing is done in the spring, plow
again in the fall. Put no crop on it,
but simply cultivate the land. Do
this as often as possible, and after
two years of such treatment seed
down to grass, and at the same time
apply a good coat of manure or of
some other fertilizer. This will give
the grass a good start, and help to
form more compact sod. Continue
this process with all similar portions
of pasture land until all has been re-
claimed. The same treatment with
rundown moving land will be at
tended with satisfactory results. But
some may ask, Why not grow some
crop upon this land, while it is being
cultivated? This would require fenc-
ing, and if there is no crop, the plow-
ing and cultivating can be done when
other work is not pressing. A crop
would also interfere with the fire.
quent blowing necessary to bring the
land into proper condition for seed
ing down, and more than all would
rob the soil of the plant food which
the grass so much needs. Hilly
land, which might wash, may be
treated with dressing of manure or
ashes. The latter often gives more
compact sod and shows good effects
for years.
One great benefit to be derived by
this treatment of pasture land is, that
when seeded down, the grass will be
much sweeter and more nutritious.
Cattle, horses or sheep will feed upon
newly-seeded land in preference to
any other, while for mich cows there
is nothing better. But such lands
should not be fed too closely in the
fall !; especially when the cattle are
taken from them nightly, as is gen
orally the case with COWS. Give the
grass chance to get start, so that
the roots will be the better protected
against the freezing and thawing of
winter.