PASTURES AND PASTURING. 149 



Sheep conftned in a cow pasture infested with daisies, up 

 to July 1, will clean them out in two consecutive years. I 

 have done this with my worst-infested dairy pasture. No 

 other remedy but sheep seems able, in an economical way, 

 to cope with the wild carrot. Some few weeds are never eaten 

 by any of our domesticated animals ; but most weeds are 

 eaten in greater or less degree by some of them. I have 

 noticed that when any weed or shrub was very abun- 

 dant in a field, animals would more generally refuse it and 

 it would go uncropped, than where it existed as a straggler. 

 Neat cattle will eat a few daisies or hardbacks, but abhor 

 them as a sole diet. 



While I would give my cows the entire range, in propor- 

 tion to the size of the dairy, I know it is not ordinarily for 

 the best good of the pastures. Some portions will be neg- 

 lected, and the herbage become dry and hard and be of little 

 service for the dairy. Cut off this part, if possible, and use 

 it for dry cows or young stock. Many an outlying field has 

 been restored to usefulness solely by confining stock there, 

 so as to keep down the wild growth. I have in mind one 

 field that kept two cows, turned in late in the spring, but 

 poorly till July, and then they would be taken out. Noth- 

 ing was done to it but putting in four cows early, and they 

 had fair feed the whole season ; this was a coarse, rough, 

 wet lot. Another field, lying warm and dry, starting daisies 

 and golden-rod early, would receive an apology for mowing 

 in August. This labor was wasted. It did not check the 

 weeds and the product was valueless. Turned to pasture 

 for the last six years, and closely fed, it has .wonderfully im- 

 proved in appearance, and has yielded a fair rental on its 

 value. 



Close pasturing is a dangerous doctrine to teach, for apt 

 scholars are ever ready to adopt it. Like a shorn lawn, a 

 pasture never allowed to get up enough for a good bite will 

 lose its better grasses. The roots will be very short, like the 

 leaves, and the season's productiveness thereby diminished. 

 But " wisdom is profitable to direct." 



Poor fences have much to do with poor pastures. That is, 

 the proper control of the pasturage in fields, so that they can 

 he fed to the right degree at the proper time, forms an im- 



