386 



FARM MANAGEMENT 



ture rather than so narrow as to be muddy or dusty roads. 

 Stock is also likely to be injured in narrow lanes by fight- 

 ing. The width of the lane depends on the value of the 



land and amount of 

 stock in the pasture, 

 but should rarely be 

 less than 2 to 4 rods. 

 238. Permanent pas- 

 tures vs. rotated pas- 

 tures. Permanent 

 pastures require much 

 less work and much 

 less fence. Rotated 

 pastures usually carry 

 more stock per acre. 

 Light soils do not usu- 

 ally hold grass well and 

 so do best if rotated. 

 As land becomes more 

 valuable, it may pay 

 to rotate pastures. In 

 all parts of the United 

 States where permanent pastures do well, the farmers gen- 

 erally use some of the poorer land for pastures rather than 

 pasture in rotation. The permanent pasture may at 

 times be supplemented by pasturing fields. There is no 

 very important dairying or live-stock-producing section 

 in America that does not depend primarily on permanent 

 pastures, or pastures that last many years. In the north- 

 eastern fourth of the United States, Kentucky blue-grass 

 is the great pasture plant. In the arid regions, the 

 native grasses furnish pasture on land that is too dry to 

 farm. 



FIG. 95. A tree makes an unsatisfactory 

 post. The wire spoils the tree and the 

 tree spoils the fence. 



