8 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 439 



Clearing Shrubs and Bushes 



Land that had reverted to a cover of bushes and shrubs was cleared for pasture 

 and crops in various areas in Massachusetts. Much of this acreage had been 

 tillable cropland and pasture but had been abandoned when prices of farm 

 products were low in the early 1930's. Higher prices for farm products, par- 

 ticularly milk and potatoes, have encouraged the reclamation of this land for 

 hay, pasture, and crops. 



In one instance pasture land which had reverted to juniper, hardhack, sheep 

 laurel, and other shrubs was cleared with a medium-sized bulldozer at the rate 

 of one acre per eight-hour day. Many boulders were pushed out as well as a 

 few small trees on this stony loam soil. Debris was pushed into a swamp and 

 stones were piled in a row as the base for l road to a woodlot. This land was too 

 stony to be plowed so the seedbed was prepared by repeated harrowings. Roots, 

 sticks, and stones were picked up between harrowings and then the land was 

 limed, fertilized, and seeded with e mixture of Ladino clover and grass. The 

 cash costs for the bulldozer were about $45 per acre and additional costs for 

 labor, seed, fertilizer, and lime added another $45 so that an improved seeded 

 pasture was obtained for about $90 per acre. 



Figure 3. 

 Seeded Improved Pasture (right) Was Made from Rougli Land (left) by Bog Harrow Treatment. 



In other worn-out pastures which had reverted to shrubs and bushes, the 

 land was improved by repeated use of a bog harrow. Juniper and other large 

 shrubs were pulled with a tractor, chain, and special type of hook. In areas 

 relatively free cf stones the cover was cut with a heavy-dut}^ mower before 

 harrowing. Clearing of hardhack and sheep laurel cover with a bog harrow has 

 been found satisfactory because the cover can be disked under and topsoil is not 

 removed. Another method consisted of harrowing alder swamps with a bog 

 harrow when the ground was frozen in order to break the stems and allow grazing 

 of shoots the following season. When the land became dry enough to be harrowed 

 and seeded, a fertilized pasture was available for long-season grazing. 



