1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 189 



Obstacles. 



The hay producer encounters various obstacles in the 

 prosecution of his business. 



Frequently low places in his fields show a deterioration of 

 the quality of his grass, by the appearance of sedges, brakes, 

 etc. This suggests underdraining of the parts affected, if 

 practicable, and if not so, an elevation of the surface. Either 

 will remove the evil. 



Now and then a dry ridge will indicate its aridity by a 

 scantiness of herbage. The remedy for this is an incorpora- 

 tion of additional vegetable matter with the soil , or a lower- 

 ing of its surface to the level of the surrounding ground. 

 The latter course secures largely the avoidance of the impact 

 of dessicating winds and of the rapid drainage from its sur- 

 face of the rainfall. 



But the most serious obstacle by far is drought We 

 cannot control the condition of the atmosphere, and I should 

 hardly venture to suggest any remedy for this malady but 

 for the fact that we must have one. We are situated 

 somewhat as was the boy sent out to catch a woodchuck 

 by his fiither, where such animals were not plenty, with 

 the imperative remark, " We must have one, for the 

 minister dines with us to-morrow, and he cannot make a 

 dinner Avithout fresh meat." AVe cannot raise grass without 

 moisture, and fortunately for us we can generally do much 

 to secure it. 



The melting snows and spring rains almost always keep 

 the ground sufficiently moist up to the middle of May. If 

 the soil be in good condition, by that time the grass will 

 have attained such a height and thickness as to shield it from 

 a rapid loss of its moisture. The term "good condition," 

 just used, suggests the well-known fiict that abundant fer- 

 tilization is a great palliative of drought. 



Dryness of a soil is often due to the fact that, owing to 

 the hardness of its surface, the rainfall cannot penetrate it, 

 and simply runs over and off it, to no good purpose. The 

 maintenance of a porous soil and open sod, by frequent 

 breaking up of the ground and its thorough pulverization, 

 accompanied by reseedings, is a good remedy in such cases. 



