The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1930-06-12
IRRIGATED Pastures .

it must be remembered there is al
ways danger from bloat when cat
tie or sheep are pastured on any
of the clovers, but available re-
cords show very small loss from
this cause. Also, sheep are sus-
ceptable to stomach worms when
grazing incIosed areas, and the
proper control measures against
this parasite should be taken. To
get the results mentioned, pastures
must not be grazed before. the
grass gets a good start in the
spring-nor over grazed at any
time.
Records of the experiment farm
at Huntley show the value of top
dressing pastures each year with
manure. Two pastures were used
for these trials which started in
1921, one receiving IL tons of man.
ure and the other receiving none.
During the six years of the trial,
the carrying capacity of both pas
lures increased, but the one re-
celving the top dressing was in
creased so that one additional COW
could be grazed on two acres,
whereas it would have required
eight acres of pasture not manured
to have grazed an additional cow.
The value of top dressing with Il
tons OF manure to the acre each
spring is clearly seen, and heavier
applications are probably justified.
The generally accepted method
of seeding the pasture grass mix
ture is in the spring with a nurse
crop. The returns from the nurse
crop and the pasture available the
following year probably makes this
the most economical method, altho
as might be expected more actual
pasture will be available the sea-
son following seeding if the mix
ture IS put in in the spring with
out any nurse crop. RECORDS from
the experiment station give the
amount of grass produced by four
methods of seeding which include
three Spring seedlings, one without
nurse crop, another with nurse
crop cut for hay, and the third
with a nurse crop cut for grain;
and finally, Fall seeding on grain
stubble. The returns in pasture
alone wcre in the order of methods
OF seeding just given, that is, high
est for Spring seeding without a
nurse crop and lowest for Fall
seeding in stubble. However, as
was said, the gross returns would
generally favor the nurse crop.
The definite amounts of seed
which make up the mixture are:
smooth bronze grass and meadow
fescue, each 8 to A pounds per
acre; Kentucky blue grass and or
chard grass, each 4 to 6 pounds:
and the white and alsike clovers
each to 2 pounds to the acre.
Inc lower amount given, which
totals 10 pounds to the acre, is rec
commended only where conditions
are ideal, and since the kind of sea-
son which will follow Spring seed
ing cannot be determined when
the grass sown, better results
Will probably follow the higher
rate, In most cases. This calls for
"a pounds per acre. Quotations
noted from one seed catalogue
price the mixture at 35 cents ner
pound, with reductions in larger
quantities. Often the different
kinds Of seed can be purchased sep
arately at less cost, and mixing |
done at home. Also, purity tests
can be secured from the seed house !
or from the state testing labora-
tory when the separate kinds of
seed are purchased, and thus elm
mate danger of introducing nox-
lous weeds. This is particularly
important with bronze grass, as
quack grass seed closely resembles
Carbon county is dotted with
areas using the mixture to
care for its farm flocks of
sheep and dairy cattle
the bronze. The acre cost. using
"a pounds, usually runs around
$3.50, which seems high, but if
this amount is spread out over the
life of the pasture, the average for
the period is less than for most
grain crops. Pastures on the ex
pertinent farm are about to start
their 18th year and are in as good
condition as ever. Seeding is done
with an ordinary grain drill, using |
an alfalfa attachment for the Glow
ers. The seed must be continuous
ly stirred in the drill box SO that
even distribution of the different
kinds is secured. This initial cost
OF the seed and the length of time
the pasture will be used, makes
thorough land preparation of i'm
portance. A fine, firm, we'll lev
eled seed bed will give best results
Livestock and permanent irrigat-
ed pastures on the farm naturally
go hand in hand, and with thought
ful conversion of part of the ir-
rlgated farm into this type of pro-
ductlon, there comes lit+Io ,,o,.o