Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-07-01

ire University OF Maryland.
The proclamation signed by
Governor McKeldin reads:
"The great strength of America
is rooted in the land.
"The health of our people
comes from the products of the
land.
Millions in less fortunate Ma
tons survive because of the lar
gesse of American soil.
"The prosperity and welfare of
urban jewellers as well as rural
are extensively dependent on the
land and its resources.
1--WE must be wise in the use of
this greatest resource and those
related to it.
Maryland is proud of its fer
tile land and of the accomplish
ments of such agencies as those
in our Soil Conservation Districts.
Our progress must be con-
tinued. We must halt the destruc-
ton of land which still goes on as
a result of abuse, misuse, erosion
and lack of proper drainage.
ITO assist in calling attention
to what has been done and what
needs to be done, l, Theodore r.
McKeldin, Governor, do hereby
proclaim the week of August LIST
through August 7th, to be Mary
land Land Week. 1 urge the in
terest and participation of all our
citizens in the observation and
its activities"
Ellington says the highlight of
Land Week activities will be
tours of farms in Hartford, Balti-
more, Howard, Montgomery and
Carroll counties. The theme of
the Land Week program is water
conservation.
AN6 Il - 1AAO 4 ~ AhA<AO
Hot, dry weather doesn't do a
pasture any good. But farmer
can use this kind of weather to
advantage in renovating pastures.
DR.. Tom S. Ronningen of the
University of Maryland agrono-
my department explains that "the
first step in renovating an old,
pasture is to get rid
of the existing vegetation. The
best way to do this is to disk the
pasture about the first of July.
"Disking breaks up the ground,
permitting the hot sun to dry out
and kill vegetation.
Some sod will probably live
through the disking and exposure
to the sun, so a second disking or
tearing up of the sod with a
spring tooth harrow or field cul-
tivator about two or three weeks
later is recommended. 1t may
even be necessary to go over GER
tain spots a third or fourth time.
Lining and fertilizing are 9th
er important steps in the renova-
ton process and DR.. Ronningen
says, the lime can be applied
before the first disking. Suisse
quent diskings will work it well
into the top soil layer.
"Most farmers apply fertilizer
just previous to the last disking
or just before seeding"
When pasture renovation is
started in midsummer, the time,
method and rate of seeding is the
same as for pasture established
as part of a rotation. That means
seedlings should be made from
August Is to September l or as
close to these dates as possible.
DR.. Ronnihgen points out the
main advantage of preparing
land by disking: % Flowing is
usually difficult at this time of
year because the ground is dry
and hard. (2) Disking mixes the
sod with the top layers of soil and
gives protection against erosion
in care of hard summer rains.
A shortage of pasture is almost
an annual problem on many
Maryland farms, and DR.. Ron
ningen says one practical ap-
proach to the problem is the es'
Establishment of more tall grow
ing semi,permanent pastures such
as Observation-Disclosures or
tall fescue-Ladino clover mix
lures.
MANY farmers add red clover
or alfalfa or both to these mix
lures to increase first year pro-
duction," he adds.
Some farmers aren't as con
cerned with a long range pasture
program as they are with immedi
ate needs. The forage crops
specialist says. ut is somewhat
late, but sudan grass can be
seeded up to July l, or there
abouts. Sudan planted now can
be grazed in the middle or latter
part of August"
II is suggested that for more in
formation on pasture renovation
farmers ask their county agent
for Fact Sheet 70, Pasture Reno
cation This fact sheet can also
be obtained by writing to the
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