The Springfield herald., 1906-06-22
PASTURE FOR SHEEP.
Gained by Study of Eng
lish Methods.

Pasture for the flock is ever para
mount question with the ardent flock
master, and while frequently dis
cuIsed. the solution is far from being
at hand. We American flock owners
have a great deal to learn regarding
pastures, especially as to quality and
quantity produced. Our English broth
rem excel us in pasture management.
They more fully appreciate its inti=
mate relationship to economical live
stock production. In the years gone by
nature has been our most intinate
friend in supplying green forage for
our flocks. We have come to rely upon
her supply as inexhaustible and have
paid little or no attention to Offering
any assistance to increase her pro-
ductiveness. The older our country
grows under our present system of
farm management, the more unproiuc-
tive our soils will become from inces-
SAINT cropping and unless some thought
is given to establishing more perma-
nent supply than we have already at
hand. our sheep raising industry Is
going to be seriously handicapped.
The American tlockmasters can well
afford to study English methods of
pasture management. While our con
ditions are not coincident with those
in the old country, there are many i'm
portant facts concerning their meth
ods of handling pastures. well adapt
ed to our present conditions, and will
admirably assist in rectifying our pas
ture evil. 1t is my opinion that Aueri-
can flockmasters sooner or later are go
ing to be compelled to adapt some per-
manent method of maintaining pas
lures, the same as those followed in
the older countries where the land is
more intensely cultivated. So far. in
this country. very little attention has
been given to establishing permaten ent
pastures and maintaining them FIR a
series of years. There are several +ea-
sons why our present conditions gar
rant such a conclusion. In the ti-st
place, as our country develops the land
is going to increase in value and con
sequently land owners are going TO be
forced to cultivate more intensely.
They are going to be compelled to
grow two or three blades of g.Sss
where formerly only one grew, ic or
der to make agriculture profitable.
Then. too. our live stock enterprise
must be brought to a higher level, y.at
is, we must grow more and be.ter
stock upon less pasturing area, and
thus reduce cost of production. We
also must give our cultivated soils bet
ter attention by returning moro or
ganic matter. and less pastured off.
Permanent pastures, either in long
or short routine. must in the near fU
pm. f,,fD ,i.I
green food for our flocks. We cannot
afford to allow our present lands to lie
in pasture, because they are poorly
adapted to pasture production. Good
pasture, the same as any other crop
raised and cultivated upon the farm,
must be sown and maintained with
equally prudent management if the
best results are to be obtained. There
are always. upon most farms, certain
fields having soil better adapted to
pasture production than to the grow
ing of farm crops, and can be more
profitably maintained in pasture tnan
in the regular routine. Such lands
are naturally adapted to pasture pro-
duction, and can be made far more
profitable if seeded down to some per-
manent meadow and maintained for a
few years and by proper fertilizing
caused to increase in productiveness.
Under such management a higher
quality of herbage can be grown upon
less area, with additional quantity. At
Forest Grove" farm, says the Ohio
Farmer, we are seriously considering
the establishing of some permanent
pasture land for maintaining our
flock, and maintain a larger flock up
on less pasturing area. 1t is our in
tention to seed one field down to sew
eral species of grasses and by the ap-
plication of fertilizer increase its pro-
ductiveness. Every fiockmaster can
well afford to give this matter of las
ture for the flock some caIs.ful
thought. We have the climate, The
soil and the brains to make the pest
pastures in the world.