Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-02-02

Copyright. 1899. b. American Press
Association
"N HE cheapest gains on farm ani-
IS mails are made with green
- feed Plans should be- made
70 have plentiful supply on
hand at all tines. There viii 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 vail
liable for milk COWS. calves and hogs.
Permanent Pastures.
Pastures should he z.a;,d where
possible. Where foUsS ear rotation
is practiccd one-fourth OF the cuItivat-
Ell land viii be in grass each year.
This will generally be mere than is
needed for hay. in which case part OF
it can be used for pasture. Ia addi-
ton to this there IS usually some land
on every farm that Is too wet or too
rough 10 bc used for anything but per
manent pasture. In too many cases
these permanent pastures are wecdy
and unproductive. \ fiocN OF sheen or
goats will do much 20 get rid of tue
weeds. IL there are any thi>tlss they
should be cut while in blrom ana a
handful OF salt PCT ON the roots.
Where an area of land has been very
severely overgrazed IN the pas; 4, will
be absolutely necessary that Il be very
carefully paSiurcd for the FIRST two or
three years. The native -rasses ami
forage plmts mus, have a chance e,
regain their former vigor AMI To 20 to
SEED. 4 very large number Of stock
men advocate resting the land that is.
keeping all stock OF for period OF
three or four years That this remedy
will bring about the desired results
has been definitely proved in numcr-
Gus instances.
To increase the productivity il will
be necessary 10 thickea the stand and
loosen the soil. The yield OF PASTURES
can often be doubled by running
disk over them I'm the spring. This Is
especially true If few pounds Of
grass seed to the acre are used at the
same time. There is nothing better
than alsike clover Tor the wet spots.
Rodtop is also good Ia such places. al
though IL is not liked well enough los
the stock 10 warrant its use whore
better grasses will grow.
Alsike clover (rrifolium hybridum
is a perennial clover whose appearance
suggests hybrid between red and
white clovers, hut il X not Il hybrid.
1t will thrive on soil too wet FOR red
clover. hut on ordinary soil is proba-
bly, not 10 be so highly recommended.
IL should be sown with CRUISES To- give
the best results.
The standard pasture grass through
out the corn belt is blue grass. For
early spring and late fall pSsturage
nothing can equal IL. IL Is nutritious.
the stock Ike II well, it is not easily
injured 10y tramping. and it Is Il good
yieider. The chief objection 10 IL Is
that IL practically ceases growth dur
inS the hot. dry days OF midsummer.
Al this time Il is necessary 10 supple
ment the blue grass pasture with some
forage crop or have fresh pasture
10 turn the stock into. Many stock
men have several different pastures
They stock one heavily. So that IL 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 ont OF a certain
amount OF pasture land. IL is good
| plan to allow part OF the blue grass
| land 10 make n growth OF six or eight
inches before winter This makes ex-
/ cellent winter pasture FOR both cattle
! and horses. and they VIII thrive and
fatten on II. Horses viii paw through
/ several inches of snow To get 10 il.
| Although blue grass VIII thrive fairly
/ well in dry and unsheltered locations.
/ ii viii do better where shaded mod
erately. Pasture land partly covered
| with brush and short timber is n IN.
vorite place To secure good stand.
Orchard grass is next 10 blue grass
In Importance as pasture crop. Ii is
hardly rs nutritious nor is IL liked as
/ well by stock, but it makes a more
rapid growth and continues 10 grow
| throughout the summer months. When
sown in mixture Of other grasses,
as IL usually is, the stock are liable to
eat the more palatable grasses first,
leaving the orchard grass TO grow up
and become hard and woody. Where
the plan of changing pastures Is prac-
ticed there is little trouble from this
source, as all the grass IS eaten down
! quickly.
4 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 hourishes white clio
yer will work without seeding I'm n
few years. \ 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 VIII keep the pms