THE GENESEE FAEMEB. 



WHAT AEE THE BEST PASTTJRES FOR DAIRY COWS ] 



BKEAKING STEERS. 



There are few subjects of more practical impor- 

 tance to the country generally tliau that of the best 

 paotures for dairy cows. The great and rapidly in- 

 creasing interests of the dairy business of tlie conn- 

 try make it a question of moment as to what are 

 tlie most valnable grasses with which to stock our 

 pastures. It must be confessed there has been, and 

 is yet, a great want of interest in the subject. Most 

 farmers seed with Timothy and clover, without a 

 thought whether there is anything better. It is 

 generally admitted that Timothy malces the best 

 hay, anel clover is one of the best plants for renova- 

 ting the soil ; but Timothy will not bear close pas- 

 turing, and clover is not well relished by most kinds 

 oi" stock. 



Charles L. Flint, of Massachusetts, has lately 

 written a book on The Grasses and Forage Crops 

 of America, Avhich contains much valual)le informa- 

 tion. From that we gather that the most success- 

 ful farmers of Europe and America have found it 

 profitable to^seed with a good many kind of grasses, 

 so selected as to have one or more in peri *ction in 

 each month, thereby kee[)ing up a succession of 

 feed, wliich can not be done where only one or two 

 kinds are sown. He recommends for permanent 

 pastures. Meadow Foxtail, two pounds; Orchard 

 Grass, six pounds ; I^ard Fescue, two pounds ; Fall 

 Fescue, two pounds; Meadow Fescue, two poimds; 

 Italian Rye Grass, six pounds; Perennial Rye Grass, 

 six pounds; Timotliy, four pounds; Redtop, two 

 pounds; Rough Stalked Meadow Grass, three 

 pounds; Red Clover, two pounds; Perennial Clover, 

 Uiree pounds; and White Clover, five pounds; forty- 

 five pounds in all. But to jump from only one or 

 two to such a profusion of grasses, is asking more 

 of most farmers than they will undertake. Yet if 

 they can not obtain such a multitude of kinds, 

 they can, at least, and those who are most awake 

 U) their interests will, stock the pastures for their 

 dairy cows with Orchard Gr.ass, .June Grass, or Ken- 

 tucky JJlue Grass, Timothy, Redtop, Clover, Ital- 

 ian Rye Grass, and Sweet-scented Vernal Grass. 

 Of the Orchard Grass, Mr. Flint, Judge Btel, 

 Judge Peters and Colonel Powell say it is one of 

 tlie most valuable of pasture grasses, even taking 

 precedence of the far famed Blue Grass. Of the 

 June or Blue Grass, it need only be said that the 

 cattle ahvaj's keep it gnawed close where they have 

 access to it. Italian Rye Grass is a very gross feed- 

 er, but not as nutritious as Timothy, yet it is con- 

 sidered one of the best of grasses for soiling. Ver- 

 nal Grass produces but a light crop, and comes to 

 maturity early, and is chiefly valuable for the deli- 

 cate flavor it imparts to the butter of cows fed up- 

 on it. Another reason for sowing a greater variety 

 of seeds is tliat the earth is not as soon robbed of 

 any one of tlie constituents of plants, as it is where 

 only one kind of grass is grown. And again, if only 

 one grass is sown, there will always be spots where 

 that kind will not grow as well, and those s])ots are 

 very apt to produce a crop of weeds or foul grass ; 

 yet those very places would be just sucli as some of 

 the other valuable grasses would delight in. 



But we want carefully conducted experiments to 

 determine what and how many kinds of grass are 

 best for cows. Who will undertake this and report 

 to the Farmer. L. 



Z^in, Fa., Decemder, 185T. 



In breaking steers, one of two things is necessary 

 — that the operator begin before tlie animal has 

 strength enough to be unmanageable, or when ho 

 does begin that he put him where he cannot get 

 out from under his control. Any trick allowed at 

 this time, or advantage given, will soon become a 

 confirmed habit. The formation of bad habits 

 should be studiously guarded against— young steers 

 will learn in one day what much aftercare can 

 hardly lireak them of. 



The best way to break steers to the yoke, is tn 

 take them in the Ijeginning into a small well fenced 

 yard, from which they cannot escape, and keep 

 them as much under your power as you would a 

 horse, driving them about the yard without the 

 yoke, until they are wearied enough to have it put 

 on them without opposition. After they are 

 yoked, keep them going— unyoke and yoke them 

 until it can be done handily, and when. you leave 

 them, chain or tie them so they cannot move from 

 the si)ot, that they may leam to stand when left at 

 any time. As soon as you can drive them Avhere 

 you like in the yard without trouble, you can do so 

 out of it. 



To break steers in this manner, usually consumes 

 four davs, so as to be as work-A\-ortliy as by the 

 old method, in two months; and one man can keep 

 two or three pair on the drill about as easily as one. 

 Steers trained to the yoke in this manner, retain 

 more of their sprightly native character and dispo- 

 sition — move quicker — and if well managed, are 

 more docile and valuable when oxen. We would 

 as soon think of putting a young boy into difficult 

 calculations in higher mathematics to learn arith- 

 metic, as to put steers to labor without previous 

 drilling and training. w. u. gaedner. _ 



Uonihy, Steaiben Co., K Y. 



RATSIKG, GATHERING, ATTD CLEANING CLOVER SEED 



Raising clover seed, is always done after the first 

 crop of hay is taken off". If a field is well set with 

 clover, it is generally left to lay for a second crop 

 if it can be spared ; and if found that it contains 

 seed, it is mowed for the seed. In this section it 

 grows mostly too rank, and it is but seldom that it 

 contains much seed, particularly if a wet season. 

 The best method of gathering clover seed yet dis- 

 covered in this section, is by the us-e of a Reaper, 

 the same as for cutting grain ; with a fork or rake 

 take it off" the platform, whenever there isenough to 

 make a small heap. The heap can be set in rows 

 if properly managed. The reaper can be set low 

 and straw and all cut, or high and tlie heads only 

 will be lopped oflf, which will save a great deal of 

 labor, and also leave the straw on the fields as ma- 

 nure. The crop should be left out till so dry that 

 the seed Avill shell well. It should have at least 

 one or two weeks good weather, before it is taken 

 in tlie barn or put on stocks. To thresh the clover, 

 put it through a threshing machine, with a long 

 shaker attached to it, and what falls through it is 

 preserved, and contains the seed. The best and 

 quickest way to clean the seed is by the use of a 

 huller and separator made expressly for this purpose. 

 lit should then be sieved with a sieve expressly 

 I made for the purpose. « _^ 



I Enterprise, Lancaster Co., Pa.j 



