Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-04-27
New England Pastures.

TIE United States department of Ag-
riculture has been Investigating the
pasturage of the country and devising
means for its improvement. They
found the greatest deterioration in the
dairy pastures of eastern New York
and New England. In other sections of
, the country pastures of the same age
used for beef purposes show no dete-
+ rioration.
One of the most harmful practices
in New England is turning cattle on
the pastures too early. In many in
stances if the cattle were kept off until
a week or ten days later the pasture
would produce more food during the
entire season and carry more stock
Grass should be allowed chance to
/ develop green leaf surface if it is to
give the best pasturage. Another
| harmful effect of too early pasturing is
the packing of damp soil so grass can
not grow vigorously from it.
For the improvement of pastures the
best thing is light top dressing of
4 barnyard manure for four or five
4 years in succession. Where pastures
are too rough to drive over commercial
fertilizers composed principally of phos-
phoric acid and potash will be benefi-
cial. Reseeding with a mixture OF
timothy, red-top, bluegrass and white
clover will also aid in restoring the
pastures. The cutting of the weeds
just before they go to seed will aid II
} keeping the pastures from getting
weedy.
Steep hillsides where the soil is poo
and thin should be allowed to refores
as soon as possible. The department
r will send information relative to the
, reforesting of such areas on applica
tion. ANY farmer interested in thi
subject should send to the department
for it's publication entitled Improve
me1t of Pastures in Eastern New Yor
, and The New England States" Tha
E pamphlet and the publications mer
toned in it will give information tina
will enable him to make intelligen
efforts to improve his pastures and ir
crease the capacity of his farm. st
Johnsbury Caledonian.
h Good Idea on Platform
i The platform of the convention
receiving it's biennial attention and tn
wise ones are searching deep into tn
cells of political philosophy for ne
S and progressive principle that will saw
S Cne country anu dCLrdCC bnG VOL0ri
o The good of huge mass of resolution
labeled platform is of uncertai
/ value in the minds of a good man
l. conscientious legislators who spen
&c their time musing over the histor
g of the past and the lack of interes
that is manifested for tie platform
- the state conventions of the past BIZ
It even if the re solutions are only for o.
is namental purposes they are quite nece
= sary, for party without a faith, do,
= trine, principle, platform or whatev
le er it may be called, would be like
ship without rudder. The seemin
lack of respect for the platform tn:
exists today among many persons
at due to the custom that has been !
re vogue and prae Used at the state col
ventions. The resolutions, always of
< most general nature, have been pr
= pared by skilled and tactful artist,
diplomat of the first rank, who h:
lie submitted his masterpiece of phraseo
ID ogy to the committee for their appro'
IS al; that is ifsthe members of the con
4. mittee are not too busi1y engaged in p