HOW TO MAKE PASTURE. Ijr5 



Age improves a pasture. The grass becomes thic'lcer set and 

 finer from year to year, and if one desires to enricli it, a 

 compost spread on in the Fall and Winter, a harrowing 

 with a sharp toothed harrow, and if the grass is not well 

 set, a sprinkling of seed will produce satisfactory results. 

 No weeds, such as thistles, mullein, etc., should be allowed to 

 go to seed, but should be cut in season with either scythe or 

 spade. 



Meadows should be prepared by liberal manuring, deep 

 and thorough plowing, and a thorough pulverizing of the 

 surface soil with harrow and roller. Seed should be clean and 

 pure, no matter what the cost of obtaining it. It should be 

 spread liberally — say one peck of timothy to four quarts of 

 clover per acre. This can be done in the Spring with the Spring 

 grain, but I have practiced the following plan for several years, 

 with the best results : I prepare my ground immediately after 

 harvest and sow tlie timothy, without any other crop, so that 

 it will receive a good start before Winter. The clover must not 

 be sowed so as to sprout in the Fall, for it will Winter-kill, 

 but it should be sown any time in Winter, or before the frost 

 comes out in the Spring, so that it will be ready to sprout as 

 soon as Spring opens. By this process the timothy matures 

 the next season, and makes very fine hay. 



It is desirable to have a good proportion of clover, as the 

 second crop makes fine Fall feed for the cows, or a crop of 

 seed can be gathered of far greater cash value than the first 

 crop of hay was, or else it may be cut for hay, and if well 

 cured, it will produce milk in Winter better than any other 

 fodder. 



When feeding to make milk, hay should be cut as soon as 

 the timothy is in blossom, and carefully cured without being 

 touched by rain or dew. In order to accomplish this, if there 

 is a prospect of rain when the hay is partially cured, it must 

 be put in small stacks, and as soon as the weather permits be 

 opened out to the sun and air before drawing it to the barn. 

 If there is no prospect of rain, it should be raked in winrows 

 over night, and be drawn from there next day. As soon as a 



