The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-10


hand at all times. There will be the
clover meadows. of course, which will
be used principally for hay. Occasion
ally there will be luxuriant growth
of fall feed on them which can be
used for pasture to advantage. This
second growth clover Is especially val
liable for milk cows. calves and hogs.
Permanent Pastures.
Pastures should be rotated where
possible. Where four year rotation
is practiced one-fourth Of the cultivat-
ed land will be in grass each year
This will generally be more than Is
needed for hay, in which case part of
it can be used for pasture. In addi-
tion to this, there is usually some land
on every farm that is too wet or toe
rough to be used for anything but per-
manent pasture. In too many cases
these permanent pastures are weedy
and unproductive. A flock of sheep or
goats will do much to get rid of the
weeds If there are any thistles they
should be cut while in bloom and
handful of salt put on the roots.
Where an area of land has been very
severely overgrazed in the past it will
be absolutely necessary that it be very
carefully pastured for the first two or
three years. The native grasses and
forage plants must have chance to
regain their former vigor and to go to
seed. A very large number of stock
men advocate resting the land-that Is,
keeping all stock off for period of
three or four years. That this remedy
will bring about the desired results
mas been definitely proved in numer-
Gus instances.
To increase the productivity it will
be necessary to thicken the stand and
+ loosen the soil. The yield of pastures
can often be doubled by running
disk over them in the spring. This is
especially true if a few pounds of
grass seed to the acre are used at the
same time. There is nothing better
than alsike clover for the wet spots.
Redtop is also good in such places, al.
though it is not liked well enough by
the stock to warrant its use where
better grasses will grow.
Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum)
is perennial clover whose appearance
suggests hybrid between red and
white clovers, but it is not hybrid.
1t will thrive on soil too wet for red
clover, but on ordinary soil is proba-
bly, not to be so highly recommended.
1t should be sown with grasses TO give
the best results.
The standard pasture grass through
out the corn belt is blue grass. For
early spring and late fall pasturage
nothing can equal it. 1t is nutritious,
the stock like it well, it is not easily
injured by tramping, and it Is good
yielder. The chief objection to it Is
that it practically ceases growth dur
ing the hot. dry days of midsummer.
At this time it is necessary to supple
ment the blue grass pasture with some
forage crop or have a fresh pasture
to turn the stock into. Many stock
men have several different pastures.
They stock one heavily, so that it will
be eaten down close in three or four
weeks, then change the animals to a
fresh one while the grass in the first
gets another start. In this way great
er value can be got out Of a certain
amount of pasture land. 1t is a good
plan to allow part of the blue grass
land to make Il growth of six or eight
inches before winter. This makes eX-
cellent winter pasture for both cattle
and horses. and they will thrive and
| fatten on it, Horses will paw through
| several inches of snow to get to it..
Although blue grass will thrive fairly
well in dry and unsheltered locations,
It will do better where shaded mod
| erately. Pasture land partly covered
with brush and short timber is IA
vorite place to secure good stand.
Orchard grass is next to blue grass
| in importance as a pasture crop. l. Is
hardly as nutritious nor is it liked as
well by stock, but it makes a more
rapid growth and continues to grow
throughout the summer months. When
sown in a mixture of other grasses,
as it usually is, the stock are liablt to
eat the more palatable grasses ficst,
leaving the orchard grass to grow up
and become hard and woody. Where
the plan of changing pastures is prac-
ticcd there is little trouble from this
source as all the grass Is eaten down
| quickly.
A good miXture to SOW on old pas
ture before disking is eight pounds of
blue grass. two pounds of orchard
grass and two or three pounds of some
kind of clover Red clover is good, but
does not last long. In most regions
where blue grass flourishes white clo-
yer will work without seeding in a
few years a mixture of alsike and
redtop scattered around the wet spots
will complete the renovation OF the
pasture. From this time on good
disking every spring will keep the pas
ture in good condition. Any thin spots
which appear can be reseeded at the
same time. A few trees scattered here
Al, a.