PASTURING AND SOILING 1/9 



PASTURING ON STUBBLE FIELDS 



Occasior.ally a farmer thinks it economy to turn his 

 swine, for gleaning purposes, on a grain stubble field 

 where there is a stand of young grass or clover started. 



In commenting upon such a practice, L. N. Bonham of 

 Butler county, Ohio, has said : "We have always con- 

 sidered turning stock onto the young clover and tim- 

 othy after grain harvest a losing business. The sooner 

 the pasturing begins the worse for the coming crop. The 

 }'oung stuff has not yet firmly rooted and is heavily 

 taxed by heat and drought and much of it will perish if 

 the weather is unfavorable. In its feeble condition the 

 extra tax of trampling and grazing will destroy much 

 more. With young plants, as young animals, we need to 

 lend a helping hand to insure the best growth. There 

 is no profit in runts. The young clover and grass in 

 the stubble fields are not there for tiding over the stock 

 this season, but to fill barns next year with abun- 

 dance, and what is of far more importance to the future 

 of the farm, to fill the soil with a lusty growth of roots 

 that may feed coming crops. If one is compelled to pas- 

 ture the stubble fields in which young grass and clover 

 ha\e started, the damage is much less if stock is kept off 

 until there is a good bite, the young plants are more 

 lirmly rooted, and the fall rains have carried them over 

 the trying period that follows harvest. There is more 

 lost than gained by pasturing stubble fields set to grass 

 and clover." 



