IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES. 313 



Tuesday, February 5. 

 Tho Board met at 10 o'clock, A. M., Mr. Smith, of Sunder- 

 land, in the cliair. 



An Essay was submitted and read on 



PASTURE LANDS. 



BY JOHN JOHNSON, JK. 



The management of pastures presents a subject of peculiar 

 interest to every farmer. Grazing forms the most profitable and 

 important department, but hitherto the most neglected of any 

 on the farm. 



Urgent inquiries are constantly heard from every part of the 

 State in regard to pasture management, with the universally 

 acknowledged fact that they are becoming, in a sad degree, 

 exhausted and unproductive. 



Our first endeavor should be to discover the causes upon 

 which this deterioration depends ; and having ascertained 

 some of the more important of these, we can the more readily 

 decide upon the most judicious course to pursue to insure a 

 restoration of our pasturage to former productiveness. 



One great cause of this impoverished condition is attributable 

 to improper cropping and overstocking ; thus constantly carry- 

 ing away those elements from the soil necessary to the formation 

 of bone, flesh and milk, while no adequate equivalent has been 

 returned. 



While the sunshine, air and rain constantly contribute 

 largely toward securing a plentiful harvest, without the aid of 

 an abundant supply of materials, similar to those which have 

 been taken up from , the soil, through vegetation in large 

 measure, into the products of flesh and milk, these must be 

 comparatively ineffectual. 



No soil can long withstand close and continual cropping. 

 Evidently by this process it is overstrained, and, at length, 

 must become exhausted in those essentials which serve directly 

 as nourishment for the growth and maintenance of the 

 innumerable roots, leaves and seeds, of the various grasses. 



The soil has thus generously parted with its salts in the 

 production of vegetation, to supply the demands of grazing 

 millions, dependent upon it for life and sustenance. In afford- 

 ing this incalculable supply, its stores in sulphates, nitrates and 



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