GRAYLING INSTITUTE. 



291 



takes its turn in the rotation of crops is preferred to permanent occupation 

 by grass." 



The late J. J. Mechi, of England, objects to old pastures in countries 

 which are rather dry. The crop is too light; arable land is more profitable. 



THE ADVANTAGES OF A KOTATION OF CEOPS. 



Some of them are as follows : Manure is economized, as crops do not all 

 feed alike; the fertility of the soil is better and more economically preserved ; 

 weeds are more easily controlled ; it enables a person to distribute his labor 

 more evenly through the year; it gives a proportion of grain for feed and 

 coarse straw for litter; crops in alternation are less liable to the attacks of 

 fungi and insects. Where fields are occasionally cultivated, moles are less 

 likely to become troublesome. Leguminous plants are not specially bene- 

 fited by nitrogenous manures, but they are nitrogen "producers," and 

 leave the land in fine condition for the grasses proper, including the cereals. 



It would be better for the farmer if he looked more upon grass as a lead- 

 ing crop in his rotation, instead of one of minor importance. 



PASTUKE YIELDS MORE NOURISHMENT THAN MEADOWS. 



The following experiment is reported by C. L. F. DeLauue in Jour. Roy. 

 Ag. Soc, 1882: " After the grasses and clovers had grown one year and had 

 become well established, one plat was mowed twice, and a similar plat was 

 mowed six times during the year. The latter was to imitate the frequent 

 cropping of grass by cattle. 



Oreen, cut twice, total tons per acre 17.06 



Dried, '' " " " 4.49 



Oreen, " six times, " " 21.26 



Dried, " " " " -- 3.602 



" The following shows the amount per acre of the most valuable substances 

 contained in the hay : 



Cut twice 



■Cut six times. 



Difference 



Potash. 



279.18 

 280.96 



+ 1.78 



" We see that, from the second piece cut six times, deficiency in weight is 

 made up for by superior quality. It contains 7.12 lbs. of nitrogen, 8.01 lbs. 

 of phosphoric acid, and 1.78 lbs. of potash more than the first crop. It is 

 lower in percentage of lime and magnesia, which, however, are but of second- 

 ary importance for feeding purposes. It is certain then that cattle grazed 

 on the crop of the piece cut six times would have been better nourished than 

 those to which the hay from the first piece would have been given. 



" Land used for pasture yields more nourishment than that where the grass 

 is mowed off. Young shoots are much more nitrogenous than plants in 

 flower and young green plants are more digestible than dried ones. In pas- 

 tures the droppings of animals enrich the soil." 



