40 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 262 



Combination of Grazing and Hay Land 



The fourth principle provides for additional pasture during July and Au- 

 gust. The first six plots furnished abundant feed for the herd during May 

 and June and were used in rotation, while VII, VIII and IX were allowed to 

 produce a crop of hay. After the hay harvest early in June, these plots fur- 

 nished additional pasturage needed during the latter part of the season. 



Fig. 4. The Fella Harrow Distributing the Droppings. 



The three handkerchiefs mark off the area over which a single dropping is distrib- 

 uted. Undisturbed droppings show on the extreme right. 



Field Operations 



Harrowing 



In early spring the plots were gone over with a "Fella" harrow, a German 

 invention, of the chain type, one side of which is intended for use in aerating 

 the soil and breaking up the manure cliunps. The other side is used later in 

 the season for distributing the droppings. At the beginning of each rest peri- 

 od, the plot was harrowed with the "Fella" to distribute all droppings evenly 

 in order that they might be used to the best advantage as fertilizer and to 

 prevent the enormous waste otherwise resulting from the refusal of cattle to 

 eat the rank growth of grass around manure clumps. 



A striking feature of the experiment has been the even appearance of the 

 grass on the plots throughout the season. It is estimated that the amount of 

 feed spoiled on heavily grazed pasture when droppings are allowed to accum- 

 iilate would, if conserved, more than cover the cost of harrowing. Assuming, 

 for example, that the droppings per cow per day cover a square yard of good 



