322 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



lished, they aid grasses, since they furnish available nitro- 

 gen to the land. Clovers revel in a soil well drained, 

 somewhat alkaline rather than acid (this is brought 

 about by carbonate of lime) and well supplied with 

 phosphorus and potassium. The way, then, to secure 

 nitrogen in the meadow or pasture is to get clovers 

 growing in association with grasses, or to use fertilizers 

 rich in nitrogen. Nitrate of soda applied to the grass 

 meadow in spring after growth has started is an efficient 

 carrier of nitrogen. It should be mixed with acid phos- 

 phate or some other carrier of phosphorus. Wheeler and 

 Adams of the Rhode Island station recommend for their 

 soils in timothy meadow an annual top-dressing of 400 

 to 500 pounds of acid phosphate, 300 to 350 pounds 

 of nitrate of soda, and 300 to 350 pounds of muriate of 

 potash. Leaving out the potassium for soils not defi- 

 cient in this element, these proportions would doubtless 

 serve well anywhere. Commonly 200 pounds of nitrate 

 of soda to the acre is termed a liberal use. Winter top- 

 dressing of meadows with manure is effective. The fer- 

 tilization of pastures is yet on trial, the principle in- 

 volved being to make the land sweet, encourage clovers, 

 supply phosphorus and other elements when needed. 

 Profitable results in most instances will result from the 

 use of basic slag, bonemeal or carbonate of lime and 

 acid phosphate. It pays well to spread barnyard manures 

 evenly and with moderate thinness over pasture land. 

 The feeding of concentrated feeds to cattle on grass 

 gives perhaps the best results of any, and rightly man- 

 aged the gain is clear. 



The first step in the improvement of pastures is to 



