1S39J 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



583 



stock forthis purpose it is always necessary to have 

 a spare field of oat pasture, \vliii-li they will leeil 1 

 upon in wet weather, ami which they would not ' 

 relish in dry weather. Tu jfuard against a dry 

 season it is most projjer never to pusiure the oats, 

 wliere the clover is sown, so tnuoh as to preveni 

 the herbage otthe oats Iroiu giving shade to liie 

 clover. So soon as the held will produce clover 

 luxuriantly, there is no liinner at a loss how to make 

 his held as rich as lie pleii^es, <uui liavinggut them 

 into good heari, it will be ins interest, to put them 

 in such rotation, as sliall increase the vegetable 

 soil and consequent I'ertiliiy of iiis fields. 



It is almost unnecessary, to mention, vvliat will 

 make its way to the understanding of every Tar- 

 nier, viz. the many advantages gained Irora treat- 

 ing his barren field in this way. 



Isi. Early and late sweet pasture from such 

 fields, which otherwise produced a scanty coarse 

 herbage, unpalatable to every animal. 



2d. Immediate reward lor his labor; the slock 

 are supported by it within two months from the 

 time seed is sown: the two returns give six months 

 green food; he is not however to depend upon it 

 for all his suminer pasture. 



3d. Perhaps it is one of tiie most effectual 

 me-ms to root out garlick, because what have es- 

 caped the plough in tlie spring, are eaien down 

 with the pasture from the first sowing of oats 

 and prevented from going into seed: the ploughing 

 in July and August expose so many of iis bulljs 

 to the sun, (hat It^w shoots are to be found in oats 

 sown lor titll pasture. 



4th. It is an easy and profitable way of clearing 

 grain fields from every species of injurious weeds; 

 as it will convert them into vegetable soil, and en- 

 able the farmer to rai^e whatever grain or grass 

 he shall judge most suitable tu the si'il. 



5th. It will save the expense ui' a fruitless sum- 

 mer liillow, and the green herbage will aid the 

 dairy. 



6th. It enriches the firm from within iisellj and 

 no expense is required beyond the reach of any 

 farmer: by rising one hour earlier, and working 

 one hour later than usual, for two weeks, he may 

 plough, and sow two acres, as an expenmeni. 

 The pasture will recompense his labor, while his 

 soil is greatly improved; it ise(|ually evident, tiiat 

 the lertility of the soil is acquired, parily Irom the 

 roots of the oats, opening the soil and iniroduciiicp 

 the air, and warmth ol' the sun, and partly, liom 

 accession of vegetable soil produced liom the de- 

 composed roots of such pasturage; but even be- 

 fore the roots are converted into soil, they [iro- 

 duced the most beneficial efi'ecls. Those li-om the 

 spring sowing, retain the moisture, and sufiply the 

 summersowing with it. The ro"is from the (iill 

 pasturage, being full of sap, intruduce winter frosts 

 every where, into the soil, which swellinij with 

 the congelation, separates the p^^rticles; lor it is 

 to be observed, that roots while the siem is eaten 

 down by the stalk, do not become hard, but are 

 niorenumerous,than when the plant is matured into 

 grain. It is however necessary to sow at least 

 double the quantity of seed, to thai ivqiiired for 

 crops of grain, the pasture being so much ihe thick- 

 er, and the increase of vegetable sod from the de- 

 cayed roots so much the iiieaer. 



ft is to be expected, that one or two repetitions 

 of the series oi' oat pasture, will make the soil 

 equally rich as a common dressing of stable ma- 



nure, which from a farm of 100 acres, will not in 

 general extend over more than 10 or 15 acres: 

 this gives to one acre nearly the vegetable soil pro- 

 duced Irom seven or ten anes. It is tube remem- 

 bered, that the olijeci proposed was lo render woin- 

 out, or barren fields productuc; and m no ^case 

 have 1 iouiid a heid, which was nui alter two \eais 

 oai jj-itfiurr-, caj/able uf |nodocing clover and re- 

 ceiving the g;> psum wiih evident advaniage. So 

 soon as a Heui proiiuces clover, no one is at a loss 

 how to produce advaniageous crojis allerwards. 

 It IS in every one's power to estimate what the 

 plouglnrg and seeding [ler acre ol' oat pasture will 

 cost, and according to circumstances, so will the 

 expenses be; but in general where the expenses 

 are high, the value of the pasture is equally so, 

 and if even granted that the cost of ploughing, 

 and seeding, shall be double in value to the pas- 

 ture produced, let the comparative value of the 

 field be iiurly estimated, belbrethe course was be- 

 gun, a waste, or worn-out field, and what it is now, 

 when the course is coimpleted, and laid down in 

 clover, timothy or orchard grass. 



It will be of the first importance to have at 

 least two fields; otherwise if the cattle are con- 

 stantly upon the satiie field it will not be Ibund so 

 produciive, at^d in wet weather, they should be 

 turned into some field where the iierbage was too 

 hard in dry weather. It will be eaten greedily by 

 ihe cattle after they have been satiated with the 

 soft blades ol" the oats; under this management, 

 beeves have been liitted lor family use and taken 

 off in December, without any grain. It is ob- 

 served that the oats scour at first, but the free u<=e 

 of salt readily corrects the complaint, and in no 

 pasture do they rise faster in fiesh; and the juices of 

 their meat are uncommonly grateful. 



'I'he fields which have been in corn the pre- 

 ceding year have also been sown in the sprini/; 

 wiihoul l)eing reploughed, and have done equally 

 well, except upon heavy clays, when the spring 

 has commenced with heavy rains, which have 

 rendered tiie soil too compact lo be opened, even 

 wiih a heavy brake htirrow, drawn by liiur horses. 

 Tlie fields from the oat pasture the li)i'egoiii<r au- 

 tumn, have ;ilso t)eensown, wiihoul replougiiino" 

 when the spring has set in wiihout much rain, 

 alter severe Irost: not only the oat pasiure, but also 

 the clover sown therewith, have answered well. 



Oais have also been sown amoiuxst ihe hills 

 and drills of corn, after it has received the last 

 dressing. It has succeeded, without any visible 

 injury to the corn, provided care has been taken not 

 10 injure ihe roots, by the plough or harrow at the 

 Mime the oats were sown. 



It has been inquired, are not all crops of oats 

 exhausiinir, if so, how can two sowings of oais in 

 the same year, render the soil lertile? li is granted 

 if oats shall be matured info seed, they will cer- 

 tainly exhaust; but ifcut oH",while in the blade,ihey, 

 and all culmilerous plants, will lertilize. The ex- 

 periment was niatle with Indian corn, sown broad- 

 cas", cut twice and carried to the stable, and a crop 

 oi' turnips taken oti' the ground the same season: 

 tlie manure was laid on fieliire tiie corn was sown, 

 but none u'as given when the turnip seeil was put 

 in. 



Another way in which oats fertilize, appears to 



be Irom increase of vegetable soil; this is within 



the view of every observer; the remains ol' ihe 



! pasiure [ilou-jhcd in, particii'urly in July and Au- 



