76 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



we must stop that, certainly, or. we can never renovate the 

 pastures. How shall we stop it? These rough pastures 

 must be reclaimed first. A good pasture is much above the 

 value we place upon it. I think the only way is to devote 

 better lands to pasturage, and by this means save the drop- 

 pings of our stock to produce a growth of suitable feed. 



Mr. Floyd. I have had a little experience in old pastures, 

 and I have noticed that farmers learn a great deal more from 

 experience than from theory. Thirty years ago I went on to 

 an old farm. The pasture was run out, although the land 

 was good ; but it seemed more inclined to grow up to bushes 

 than to good grass. I went to work and cut all the wood, 

 and where I cut an acre of wood, I burned and brought it 

 into grass, and finally into pasture again. I found it worked 

 well. My cattle fed even on this small space of one acre. I 

 have kept on cutting and fixing in the way I have spoken of, 

 and now the larger part of my pasture is where my wood lot 

 was twenty years ago, and my old pasture is coming up to a 

 young growth. I find my cattle like the change to a new 

 place very well. I did not plow it. I found it was hard to 

 work, and never plowed any of it. I burned the brush and 

 sowed red-top and white and red clover seed on it. 



Dr. Allen. In regard to the improvement of worn out 

 farms, it is possible for feed to be grown as long as there is 

 any virtue in the soil. A little more than a week ago I was 

 in the bleachery at Lewiston, and I there learned some facts 

 in chemistry which were new to me. The foreman, I venture 

 to say, is as good a chemist as there is in Maine. He told 

 me some facts in regard to agriculture that I was glad to 

 learn. Taking up a test tube, he put in a little ammoiiia and 

 wanted to know if I smelled it. He said there was ammonia 

 passing oif all of the time. I asked him what was the best 

 thing to prevent it from passing ofl' into the air, and he said 

 plaster. I asked him if muck would not do. He said it 

 would, but he should prefer plaster. I think the principal 

 ofiice of the plaster is its absorbent properties, and it will 

 not do well on clay because clay is a good absorbent itself. 



