352 MAJSS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 260 



of the area into plots, combination of grazing and hay land, use of con- 

 centrated fertilizers, and rotational grazing. 



About seventy-five acres of land that had formerly been in a crop and 

 pasture rotation were divided and fenced off into nine equal plots. The 

 first six were used exclusively for grazing. As checks, Plot 4 was un- 

 fertilized both seasons, and in 1929 Plot 6 received only phosphoric acid 

 and potash. Plots 7, 8, and 9 were cut for hay in early June and then 

 used for reserve pasture during the latter part of the season. In the 

 early spring Nitrophoska II, a high analysis complete fertilizer, was ap- 

 plied. Calurea, a concentrated nitrogenous fertilizer was applied- as a 

 summer top-dressing three times during the season. The cattle were 

 divided into groups^ — high producers, low producers, and dry cows and 

 young stock — and were rotated from plot to plot, the first use of the 

 fresh pastures always being available to the high producers who were 

 followed in turn by the other two groups. 



Accurate records were kept of the condition of the cattle, milk pro-- 

 duced, additional feed consumed, and cost of all field operations. A daily 

 record was kept for every plot of the number of each class of stock and 

 tlie amount of milk produced. The day before the cows were turned 

 onto a plot, grass samples were taken and analyzed for protein content 

 by the Department of Chemistry. These were found to average 17.5 per 

 cent crude protein in dry matter on the fertilized plots, as compared 

 with 12.2 per cent on the plot which received no nitrogen. 



Both pasture seasons have been abnormal; the first extremely wet and 

 the second very dry. From the results obtained it is expected that a nor- 

 m.al season will show much greater possibilities for the system; therefore, 

 it is planned to continue the experiment. 



The results so far seem to warrant the following conclusions: 



1. A heavy, thick turf is essential for the best results from fertilizer 

 application- 



2. The application of fertilizer increases the quality and quantity of 

 pasture grass. 



3. Nitrogenous fertilizers are necessary for the greatest return, when 

 a good pasture turf is established. 



4. Proper management of the herd and plots, combined with fertilizer 

 treatment, is essential for the greatest net returns from an inten- 

 sive grassland system. 



DEPARTMENT OF FARM MANAGEMENT 

 J. A. Foord in Charge 



Enterprise Relatiomships and Farm Orgfanizations on Selected Dairy 

 Farms in Western Massachusetts. (R. L. Mighell). This project, begun 

 in the latter part of 1928, has been continued throughout the year and 

 quite complete records of the year's work on 19 selected dairy farms in 

 the western part of the state have been obtained. Records of labor and 

 its distribution, as well as of the financial and material income and out- 

 go, have been secured and should yield valuable data when tabulations 

 and comparisons are made. 



