PERMANENT PASTURES. 75 



his dairy cows, the growth and increase of his flocks and 

 yoving stock. 



AMiether pastures should be close fed or not, is a question 

 still debatable. My experience teaches it to be far the most 

 preferable to feed quite close. Pastures thus fed not only 

 carry more stock, but continue to improve in productiveness 

 from year to year, becoming well tilled with a variety of fine, 

 sweet, nutritious grasses ; while those allowed to run up and 

 mature their seed, become thin, coarse grasses and weeds 

 crowding: out the finer and more nutritious sorts. 



All observing farmers agree that the pastures of Maine 

 demand prompt and immediate attention. The best methods 

 to pursue in their renovation may difter with a diiference 

 in soil, &e. In nearly all cases of unproductiveness, it will 

 be found that indispensable elements of plant food have been 

 exhausted and must be restored. A close observation of the 

 results of carefully conducted experiments with different 

 fertilizers will teach each farmer what particular elements of 

 plant food are most beneficial on his soil, and in what form 

 he may most economically restore them. The grass crop is 

 the most valuable produ-ct of Maine. All means judiciously 

 employed to increase the fertility of the fields and pastures, 

 and add to their productiveness is to make progress in the 

 right direction. 



Discussion. 



Mr. Gilbert. I know some cases where it becomes 

 absolutely necessary to apply something to the soil of pas- 

 tures for their renovation, and in order to produce the 

 valuable swards that are necessary for a good pasture. That 

 is a question of vital importance. The speaker says we need 

 fertilizers for our fields, and to be sure we do ; but where 

 are we to get something that will renovate our old and worn- 

 out pastures? We do not realize so much advantage from 

 the droppings of our stock as we ought. Now many of our 

 pastures are filled with a foul growth, which in many cases 

 is absolutely increased by the droppings of our stock. Now 



