390 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



witliout injuring the grass, is much influenced by soil 

 and climate. The more moist the climate and the more 

 temperate, the closer may be the grazing. Close graz- 

 ing where the summer heat is prolonged hinders growth 

 through the escape of moisture ; and in the autumn in 

 stern climates, it weakens the vitality of the plants 

 by exposing them too much in the winter. On the 

 other hand, insufficient grazing would result in por- 

 tions of the pasture remaining uneaten, until the grasses 

 had produced stems and formed heads, after which 

 they are not relished. When this does happen, the 

 mower should be used as soon as the heads appear and, 

 where these portions of the pasture are at all consid- 

 erable, should be made into hay. Where the patches 

 are small, if thej^ can be cut from time to time the 

 stock will likely consume much of it in the wilted form. 

 In dry areas where the soils are loose, close grazing 

 should be avoided and at no time should permanent 

 pastures be grazed when so wet that the danger of 

 l^oaching is present. The close grazing of Bermuda 

 grass tends to keep out weeds which might overshadow 

 the grass and is, so far, to be commended but not be- 

 fore the pasture has become well established. 



On the whole the practice of grazing different classes 

 of animals simultaneously on the same pastures, is to 

 be commended, viewed from the standpoint of the in- 

 fluence which it exerts on the pastures. The tastes of 

 these are different ; hence, the pastures are likely to 

 be more uniformly eaten. WhtM'c for good reasons 

 which may exist, it is not prudent to graze them thus. 



