GRAYLING INSTITUTE. 293 



It will be seen that the average of the second mixture is only about half aa 

 exhaustive to the soil as the first in producing the same amount of hay. 



Joseph Harris of Rochester, New York, says: "The cheapest and best 

 manure to apply to a permanent pasture is rich, well-decomposed farm-yard or 

 stable manure, and if it is not rich apply 200 lbs. of nitrate of soda per acre 

 in addition." 



After many experiments for ten or fifteen years. Sir J. B. Lawes concludes : 

 *' We learn from these results that good pasture grasses can never thrive upon 

 a poor soil ; and, if a soil does not contain in itself the elements of fertility, 

 they must be added from external sources. I may add that, if the pasture of 

 a rich soil deteriorates from bad treatment, the good grasses do not die out, 

 but only retire from the contest to wait for better times. Under invigorating 

 treatment, it will be found that the good grasses soon reassert their suprem- 

 acy." 



Green manuring is well worth some attention. For this purpose, the 

 leguminous crops are very desirable, as they draw a very large per cent of 

 their food from the atmosphere. I will name common red clover, mammoth 

 clover, alsike clover, melilot or sweet clover and perhaps some sorts of cow 

 peas, vetches, peas, etc. 



In estimating the value of the manure made by animals, only the nitro- 

 genous and ash contituents of the food are considered, as the carbonaceous 

 elements are supplied by the atmosphere. Over 95 per cent of the nitrogen 

 and ash constituents are voided in the excrement in the cases of sheep and 

 oxen. This shows a very small waste of the fertilizing matter of food in fat- 

 tening sheep. If 90 to 95 per cent of these fertilizing constituents of food 

 could be actually saved by farmers and returned to the soil, then it is easy to 

 see the eifect that must be produced by judicious stock-feeding upon the 

 depleted soils of the New England and Middle States. The farmer should 

 also remember that considerably more than half of the fertilizing of manure 

 is to be found in the urine, and this is much the more valuable, according to 

 the quantity, as it is all soluble and becomes immediate and active plant 

 food. 



MANURE AKD DRAINAGE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF GRASSES. 



We have nothing better to offer in this connection than the results of some 

 excellent experiments by Dr. A. Voelcker, recorded in Jour. Eoy. Ag. Soc, 

 p. 377, 1866: 



" A comparision of the composition of the improved hay with that from 

 the unimproved pastures offers several points of interest. 



" The proportion of woody fiber in the good hay is much reduced. 



'' The amount of flesh forming material is considerably increased. 



''The total amount of albuminous compounds is increased one-fourth. 



" The difference in the proportion of sugar and other soluble matters is 

 very marked, the bad hay containing only 10 per cent, the good hay nearly 15 

 per cent of sugar. 



"The proportion or fatty or waxy constituents likewise is larger. 



"The increase in the soluble mineral matter shows that the good hay is the 

 more succulent." 



Here we see, then, that arable land produces grasses of better quality 

 than marsh land, that rich land produces richer grasses than poor land, and 

 every farmer knows that grass grown in the open meadow is more nutritious 



