lOO IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF FARM PASTURES 



will do little good. Thus, where nitrogen is needed, sodium 

 nitrate and dried blood are best; for phosphate, treated bone 

 and acid phosphate are reUable; and for potash and nitrogen, 

 potassium nitrate is recommended. 



It is best to determine by experiment the amount of ferti- 

 lizer to be applied. The minimum amount of sodium nitrate 

 and acid phosphate to use is lOO pounds and 75 pounds per 

 acre, respectively. The minimum amount should be used first, 

 but a larger amount — up to 200 pounds of sodium nitrate and 

 150 pounds of acid phosphate — should be tried out on a small 

 area to determine if such application is a paying proposition. 



The use of a complete fertilizer is generally recommended. 

 This necessitates the use of potash (muriate of potash) in addi- 

 tion to that of sodium nitrate and acid phosphate. The mini- 

 mum application of muriate of potash is 25 pounds, and the 

 maximum is 50 pounds. 



Fertilizers should be applied in the spring, preferably a week 

 or two after growth starts. The fertilizers should be thor- 

 oughly mixed and distributed uniformly over the land. 



The top-dressing of pastures with stable manures pays well 

 — often better than on any other land on the farm. Some 

 contend that stock do not crop the forage with relish where 

 manure has been applied. Often the opposite effect is observed, 

 as the grass is more succulent and tender on the manured land. 

 In manuring pastures one rule should not be overlooked: Sheep 

 manure should not be put on sheep pasture, for it may contain 

 stomach worms or other parasites peculiarly injurious to sheep. 



One of the best ways to maintain the fertility of pastures is 

 to fatten cattle or sheep on the land, feeding the concentrates 

 as well as the hay and fodder on it. Stock, however, should 

 not be kept on the pasture when the soil is soft and wet, as it 

 often is early in the spring. 



The Eternal Battle with Weeds. — The annual growth of 

 weeds on pastures in the United States is enormous. No phase 

 of pasture management needs more serious consideration than 

 does that of weed control. Weeds crowd out the growing pala- 

 table crop and keep its development in check. In twelve weeks 



