No. i.] IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES. 429 



is, however, a slow one for our times and necessities, but a 

 worthy one. It betters the conditions of pastures that we 

 desire to make good or to gradually improve. It moves 

 in the right direction. 



Chemical Fertilizees. 

 I have a field on top of a ridge, where it receives neither 

 washings nor seepage, bearing its twenty-eighth crop since 

 yard manuring and twenty-fourth crop continuously to 

 chemicals. It is now carrying evidence that chemicals act 

 as direct plant food and not as stimulants, and that they are 

 adequate plant food for long periods and probabl}" for 

 generations.. By their use immediate results are secured. 

 I have a two-acre pasture, treated to chemicals three times, 

 through which 80 cows pass to the main pasture, but never 

 until it is gmzed over. To it they return after passing to 

 the bpook and drinking. I have sown strips of chemicals 

 through grazing lots, and on such strips the cows soon con- 

 gregate. These strips give more and sweeter grass, and, it 

 is believed, more effective grass. 



The quantity annually required is not large after the jBrst 

 good growth is secured. There are taken off in 2,000 pounds 

 of milk but 10.(3 pounds of nitrogen ; but, as the annual 

 nitrogen supply brought to pastures by rains may be about 

 half this amount, and as probably more is secured by other 

 processes, and as at least half the food taken by a cow is 

 voided in the pasture, the annual deficit may be covered by 

 from 3 to 5 pounds, if, indeed, there is a deficit of this 

 material. However, there are or may be leachings from 

 the soil in small amounts. Only 3.8 pounds of potash 

 pass off in 2,000 pounds of milk, — an amount that on 

 granite soils ma}^ be largely supplied by soil decomposition. 

 The phosphoric acid is of more importance, although but 

 3.6 pounds are found in 2,000 pounds of milk. Phosphoric 

 acid is very hard of solution, is in meagre amount in the 

 soil, and in practice- found very pronouncedly effective when 

 appliecl. In previous data given it was seen that steers take 

 this material away very liberally. It is associated with 

 lime, and is the basis of bone structure. 



