The Oakes times., 1916-08-31

has much more than pccpcd out OF
the ground. In my experience OIL
the farm in Wisconsin, rarely ever
did we think of turning on new
seeding the spring following the
year ii was seeded. a crop oi hay
was taken off frs, and the after
math pasturcd. This practice you
will find is common wherever the
locality boasts or can cay claim to
good pastures. This method gives
the grass a chance TO establish
root system and &c, firmly hold
of the ground so the stock can not
pull it out OF TIL ground as they do
with grass ,ha, has not had time
enough To grow root system. This
pulling or looscnlng up OF the grass
is more liable to occur in our loose
priablc fertile soils than it is in the
soils that have been under cul,iva-
ton longer. The reason. no doubt,
that our tame grass seedlings are
used for pasture SO early is because
thc need OF them is so urgent ior
the reason provisions were not
made for seeding down the land
early enough to meet tn necessity
for pasture for the stock at the
proper time. Failure to get a
catch often causes disappointmcnts.
Turning out the stock on the past
ure too early in the spring ruins
many pasture and especially its
producing capacity for that season.
If pasture is expected to produce
its maximum it must be allowed to
get a reasonably good start before
the stock is turned upon it. As
general practice most of tn" farm
crs of the older states follow this
method if you will recall. AT any
rate ] have strong rccollections of
trying to convince my father on the
farm in Wisconsin when hov that
the stock should be turned out to
pasture as soon as the pastures
grccncd up. This was done to re-
licvc us boys of the chorc of having
to feed the stock. The feed had to
he hauled longer distances or n, this
season the hay was in the bottom
OF the NOV well packed and hard
to get out. and the silagc. when we
had it. required quite a lit To get
it out. and the field work to do, vet
in spite OF our plcadings. father
would not allow the stock to be
turned on the pasture for at least
two or three weeks after we began
our pleadings. He knew too well
the injury of turning ou, too soon
from his own experience and that
of his father and perhaps grand
father for thev all farmcd the same
land in their turn.
! 1t is impossible for grass to grow
with any vigor in case il is kept
close at all times and consequently
the amount of feed it will produce
is lesscned. The sooner we make
it possible to allow an accumulation
of grass to gather both in the iall
and spring in our pastures the bet
ter and the sooner we will find our
pastures are capable OF giving good
returns.
The third abuse, or over stock
ing the pastures, is very common
everywhere one goes in the state
This is detrimental in the same way
as turning on too early i'll tho
spring. Over stocking the pasturs
will result in keeping it very clos.
during the dry spells. Grass thai
is eaten close to the ground often
is killed during dry weather, result
ing in poor stand and weeds soor
take possession of vacant places
Over stocking is as much rcspon.
sible for the inferior stand of gras!
we secure in our pastures as an,
thing mentioned. In starting IL
seed down to grass there has becl
a tendency to seed less land tina,
was necessary to carry the stocl
on hand. Plenty of acreage shoule
be provided in order to avoid tn,
dangers alluded to above. AT lcas
two or three acres for each head o
mature cattle should be provided
depending upon the age of the pas,
ure. Two acres to the head OF goo'
, tame pasture will carry the stock i,
a year OF average rainfall. acc ord
, ing to my observation. However
,, there is need for some more de!i,,
lite figures than we have at ,,rcscn
on the carrying capacity of on
| tame and native pastures to guid
us.
. 1t is becoming common prac,ie
at the present time in the centre
states for many of the Iarn,crs {,
i allow good growth of grs-, 20 ac