METHODS OF MANAGEMENT 293 



trials' feet. It is really better oftentimes to mow the 

 new field for a year before animals are turned in. Weeds 

 do great harm; mow them off or pull them. Watch to 

 see that the clovers do not smother out the young 

 grasses; cut them off before they can do this if danger 

 there is. Commonly clovers do not smother, and alfalfa 

 least of all, since it grows straight, and lodges less than 

 red clover. Watch to see where feeding is needed and 

 make mental note of these places, so that the manure 

 spreader may go over them in the winter, lightly dis- 

 tributing stable manure, or if the grasses need immedi- 

 ate strengthening one may give them a dressing of 100 

 pounds of nitrate of soda and about 300 pounds of acid 

 phosphate per acre, distributing these on the surface 

 where rains will soon make their presence felt. Weeds, 

 nurse-crop, ' a too loose seedbed, and starvation these 

 are the dangers to new seedings. 



CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS 

 AND PASTURES. 



Some grasses seem benefited by hard grazing and much 

 tramping. Bluegrass is one of these ; if the land is loose 

 the grass does not thrive as it will if it is packed by the 

 feet of stock. There are other grasses that are much 

 hurt by being tread upon ; among these is timothy. Yet 

 while bluegrass is the better for being tramped and 

 grazed rather hard, it is wise management that takes off 

 animals in wet weather of early spring, when the ani- 

 mals' feet poach hard the land and tramp it into cud. 

 Such tramping is injurious, 



