292 Static Board of AGRicui.Tcm:, tt;c. 



GRASS CULTURE. 



A PLEA FOR GliASS CULTURE. 



BY J. C. SnERBURNE, OF POMFRET. 



Travellers tell us that the ruins of Eastern cities, whoso 

 names are famous in ancient history, are found in tho 

 midst of deserts, whose barrenness su2:>ports only the scan- 

 tiest vecretation. While we are wonderin2; how cities could 

 exist and flourish with a totally bai-ren country surround- 

 ing, how their vast population could possibly be fed out of 

 such leanness and barrenness, the philosopher in agricul- 

 ture comes in Mith (his explanation — the exhaustive system 

 of husbandry practiced, the eontinup.l drafts made upon tho 

 soil wliich came of C3rtainty from grain raising, co:nplotcly 

 absorbed all fertility from the soil, which at first, in order 

 that the multitudes might be fed, must have been wonder- 

 fully productive. 



All about us, on tho hills of Vermont, and year by year 

 creeping slowly but surely downward into the valleys, aro 

 found the utter and irredeemable ruins of homes and 

 farms. Standing by tlieso broken walls and looking upon 

 the sheep as they nibble the vegetation so sparse that a 



