40 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



When grasses are kept constantly bare, surface evap- 

 oration is more rapid than it would otherwise be, and be- 

 cause of this the grasses will suffer sooner from a de- 

 ficiency of moisture. The earlier in the season, there- 

 fore, that close grazing begins, and the more persistently 

 that it is followed, for one season and for successive 

 seasons the more is productive power in the pastures 

 weakened. In climates in which the supply of moisture 

 is ample the mistake of too close grazing is not nearly so 

 serious as in those opposite in character, but in any 

 climate it lessens productiveness. 



When the grasses enter the winter eaten down to the 

 ground, or nearly so, they not only suffer more from 

 exposure than they would were they protected by a self 

 provided covering, but as in the case of meadows, they 

 spring up more quickly and more vigorously in the 

 spring. The difference in both respects is marked. As 

 a result, earlier grazing is possible, and the animals thus 

 grazed are not so liable to injury from a too lax con- 

 dition of the bowels, as if turned out onto grazing in the 

 spring consisting only of fresh grass ; the old grass which 

 is eaten along with the new militates against such a con- 

 dition. 



The hindrance to the re-seeding of grass plants in pas- 

 tures of but short duration is not serious, since they 

 are sown to be broken up again. 2s"or is it so greatly 

 important in permanent pastures laid down by man, 

 since the hand that sowed the seed which made these can 

 add more seed from time to time as occasion may require. 

 But with permanent pastures made by nature, as on 

 ranges, this question becomes one of great significance. 



