The Production of Pasture in Dairy Farming. 



203 



with a turn of chain or Hght harrows. The other 

 seed— 6 lb. Timothy, i lb. crested dogstail, 2 lb. 

 rough-stalked meadow grass, 3 lb. white clover, 

 and I lb. alsilvc, may be mixed and sown either before 

 the land is rolled or after the cereal crop cover the 

 clod, when it will shelter the young plants from the 

 drought and the scorching summer sun. These seeds 

 being very small require very little cover ; more of the 

 seeds will grow without a cover than with half an inch 

 of cover. When sown they readily fall into small 

 crevices in the surface, and by the influence of rain 

 and storm get sufficient covering and moisture to 

 enable them to send their roots into the soil and gi-ov\-. 

 Should the grass seem thin on the removal of the 

 cereal crop, more seed ought then to be applied ; and 

 should the clovers fail to grow, as is frequently the 

 case after two crops of oats, unless lime has been re- 

 cently applied to the soil, they should again be sown 

 as soon as the winter's frost is over and before the 

 land gets consolidated by the drying winds of spring. 

 The young grass may be depastured in winter with 

 sheep or young cattle, but ought not to be eaten very 

 close. In spring the land should be frequently rolled, 

 as the grasses thrive best on a firm condition of the 

 soil, and the young plants are apt to be thrown out by 

 the frosts and thaws. The gi-ass is more encouraged 

 by being depastured the second year and retaining the 

 droppings of the cattle feeding on it, than by being cut 

 when the whole produce is removed from the land. 

 When the latter method is followed it should be top- 

 dressed in the following spring with bones and sulphate 

 of ammonia mixed in the proportion of two dissolved 

 bones to one of sulphate. In the more arenacious 

 soils the bones may be applied either as half-inch 

 bones or bone meal, and should be sown in wnnter or 

 early in spring. If farm-yard manure is used, it 



should be made into compost dming the summer by 

 mixing with dry earth in the proportion oftwo of manure 

 to one of earth, it should be turned over, well mixed, 

 and allowed to ferment. It should be applied immedi- 

 ately after the removal of the hay crop, and should be 

 broken very small by the use of a chain or bush 

 harrow and the roller. The stock should be put on 

 the young grass early in spring to prevent it nmning 

 to seed and being thereby lost, land impoverished, 

 and the roots of the plants exhausted. All pastures 

 should he regularly and evenly fed down, as there is 

 waste in having them too closely eaten or left rough as 

 to turn to seed. The amount of stock should be care 

 fully proportioned to the pasture so as to avoid both 

 extremities, but as overstocking is attended with the 

 worst consequences, we ought to guard most against it. 

 But as our county annually groans under an overstock 

 of cattle at this season, instead of reducing our number 

 to suit our i>asture, let us rather by a better acquain- 

 tance with the nature, the habits, and the wants of 

 the various plants which compose them, endeavour so 

 to increase their produce as to supply the requirements 

 of our stock. While famine is decimating the popula- 

 tion of other countries, let us remember that it is to 

 our pastures that our fellow-men look for a great pro- 

 portion of their food, and let us not be wanting in 

 either skill or application to keep this dire visitor from 

 our land. Besides, how interesting must it be to every 

 lover of his native country to acquaint himself with that 

 tribe of plants which form the principal material in the 

 green vesture which clothes its surface, which performs 

 so important a part in the colouring of the picture 

 which Nature spreads out before us so as to render our 

 island home the admiration of foreigners when they 

 approach our horses. 



