The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-03-16
AGRICULTURE.
Tho importance Of Grass.

Grass is q soil-pro ector, a soil.renewel
and Toll bu der Covering the land will
grass 10 ature'. wsy Ct restoring to cd
~orn-ouf soils n fertility and good tilit
characteristic OF vlrain soil, TIE tru,
grasses do not add nitrogen to the soil as
do clover and sfalfs, yet they are 10 q
.ense nitrogen gstherers, 10 that the nitro.
gen OF the soil 10 colh cited end stored up In
he roots oftbe grass In the form Of bum' {
Taus grasses prevent the waste Ct nitrogen
and other plant food elements snd sew 10
protect the soil and to maintain its fertility
| BY these extensive and deep penetrating
root systems many grasses also tend to
wtak up and deepen the soil, gathering
and storing plant food 10 their roots, and
thus actually Increasing the ~ .ilsble plai t
I ID OF the soil.
Grasses and legumes maintain he supply
I soil nitrogen and restore the proper soil
exture, besides they are profitable crops
md, 10 fact, absolutely necessary on over,
farm upon which stock is Kept. Pasture
must be had on every farm, and II is quite
essential that 1t be made part q regulsl
crop rotation. Many soils become too iabi
and mellow by continuous cropping, and
need the trampipg Of stock to firm them
Then, so much more grass can be produced
shen the pastures are kept fresh and new,
nd the increase Of fertility and improve
nent Of soil texture results In larger crop
Of corn aud grain when the pasture Is
broken up aud planted to these crops. A
convenient and desirable time 10 manure
land is while 1t Is being used as a pasture.
the msuure Is applied year or so before
breaking 1t will stimulate the growth OF
& ass ard csuse grea'er production Of |
p isture, giving more ard better gtzins, |
meanwhile the soil Is enriched by IN In
creased root growth ard the formation
OF humus. Besides these beneficial results I
ONE plant food will be supplied by the
manuring to the n'st crop, vi i,r is srown
on h. bres king, at a time Wien IL much
needed because the larger part o. III ferti.
lIty In the new breaking IL In an unevsil.
able state ard cannot readily lie used by
the new crop
At the Kansas station the following 70.
alton is used on a $40 acre section divided
pto eight Equal part.: First year grasses
grasses and legumes; second year, grasses
md gumes; third year, pasture; fourth /
fsr pas ure; fifth y'sr, corn; sixth year,
RI; seventh year, corn; eighth year,
grain.
By this system Of rotation one half Of
he farm will always be- 10 grasses and le-
umes or pasture. v lille The other hall Of
h. fam will be producing The largest
} ,ssiole crops Of corn ard grain. Each
led will have a pot ctiDg and fertility
nsiI tanning crop iour years out OF eight,
:, DO never the above plan keeps TO much
Il The land In grass, the period for which {
he land is kept In grass msv he made .
horter or a double rotation may be intro.
uced 10 hlch he farm may b. divided In
D two divisi, n. Of foui field esch The 70. ,
alton syslem gwen may be prscticed Oh
,.hali II the farm, only two Of tbs fielcs
ring kept 10 & as, while on the other half
the fern The foiow Ing rotation OF crops
Jay be practiced. FIRST year. legumes al d
maze; second year, corr itird year,
IN; fourth year, grain A III. end Of
eht years the systems Of cropping which
ie praciicsd on he different diyis ons Of
= firm may be intsfcbsreed The FIST
rg he place Ct the accord ard tht
I'd liking The plsce OF The fl Ct