No. 4.] IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES. 425 



IMPEOVEMENT OF PASTURES.* 



BY PROF. J. W. SANBORN OF GILMANTON, N. H. 



The older members of a generation of farmers now pass- 

 ing away tell us that New England pastm^es have greatly 

 deteriorated in their day ; that in their earlier days cattle 

 grew more rapidly at pasture than now, fattened into fin- 

 ished beef, and that the profits of beef production depended 

 largely upon pastiu'e feed. At present, on the average pas- 

 ture, by dint of hard Avork stock may make a short growth, 

 and on the better class of pastures a low grade of beef. 

 Pastures have ceased to be the measure of the profits on 

 animal products, and cannot be associated with successful 

 intensive methods in animal husbandry. It is a prerequisite 

 of such husbandry than an abundance of palatable and nutri- 

 tious food be supplied. Three to four fold the area is 

 required that should be to fittingly pasture a fatting steer, 

 while the herbage is neither as palatable nor as nutritious as 

 it should be. Weeds and brakes divide the annual supply 

 of plant food and shade the grass. It is found that such 

 grass, or .shade-grown grass, contains more moisture and 

 inorganic protein materials, and is less palatable than the 

 grass of the open, under the full influence of the sun's rays. 



The fact that the dense, rich mat of grass of our early pas-- 

 tures has given place to bushes and weeds is evidence of 

 change and deterioration. Sir John B. Lawes changed the 

 ratio of the several grasses and clovers and even the per 

 cent of weeds by ^'arying the chemicals applied. On plats 

 of grass treated for several years to dissimilar chemicals I 

 found timothy preponderating on some, clover on others 



* Supplementary to lecture on " Beef Production in New England." 



