846 The yoiirna I of Forestry. 



liad for that purpose, but bones are extensively used, and they effect a 

 wonderful change in the (juality and nutritiousness of the grasses. 

 They are to be had in different forms, viz., in inch, half-inch, quarter- 

 inch, in dust, and in a dissolved state. The larger size has the most 

 lasting effect, but theydo not act so quickly as the dust or dissolved bones. 

 They are sown broadcast on the land, and in most cases one ton of the 

 rough bones will be a fair dressing per acre ; a less quantity of the dust 

 or those in a dissolved state will do, as they become exhausted sooner, 

 and require to be oftener repeated. 



Feeding sheep with rich artificial food — such as oil or cotton cake — 

 on pastures, has also a decided effect in improving the herbage; the 

 feeding troughs ought to be shifted daily, and gradually worked all over 

 the field, so that every part of it will be alike benefited. 



When the pastures are stocked with cattle their droppings should be 

 spread over the ground at least once a week ; the most of the enclosure 

 will thus in time receive a top dressing, and no unsightly tufts of 

 rank grass will be dotted over the field, as would be the case if the 

 excrements were left untouched. 



Eank weeds in pastures ought not to be allowed to seed, they should 

 either be rooted out or cut over, and rushes on newly drained land 

 should be frequently mown ; their functions will be thus weakened, and 

 they will gradually die out. 



At gateways, where the cattle are likely to congregate and tread the 

 ground into a puddle, it would be an advantage to cover a certain area 

 near them with a thick coat of broken stones ; they would soon 

 consolidate, and the grass in a short time would spring up through and 

 entirely cover them. 



Such is a brief outline of some of the means taken for renovating 

 and keeping up the fertility of grass land, and I should be highly 

 gratified to see the subject thoroughly discussed in the pages of this 

 Journal. 



Coal Tar on Fences. — I notice your comments on the Journal of Forestry's 

 instructions on the preserving of fence-posts. You say at the conclusion that 

 " it must be remembered that coal tar does not do well on wood exposed above 

 ground to sun and weather." On the farm on which 1 reside we have over 

 700 yards of tarred picket fence, put up 20 years ago, to the most of which 

 coal tar was applied. I have just made a close examination of the fence, and 

 find that nearly the whole of the tarred portion is sound, while a few panels 

 that never were tarred are much decayed and in need of repair. The tar was 

 applied to most of the pickets by dipping them into boiling hot tar some time 

 before they were nailed on. The posts and railing also received a coat, put 

 on with a brush. There is a great deal of tarred fence in this country, and 

 all that I have ever seen appears to be outlasting the untarred. — R., in Albany 

 Cultivator. 



