22 N. H. EXPP:RIMENT station [Bulletin 320 



Grazing Not Controlled 



Grazing on these experimental areas in Seavey and Livingston 

 pastures was not controlled. This fact may have led to some over- 

 grazing of the better plots with perhaps some injury to the sod. 



The plots are laid out side by side in the corner of a larger field, 

 with the check plots scattered amongst the treated plots. The cows 

 come into this area and feed heavily as the grass is better there than 

 anywhere else in ihc hold manuring all the ])lots indiscriminately, of 

 course. Hence, we suspect that the check-plot yields tend to come 

 nearer the yields of other j^lots than they would if the plots were 

 fenced and grazing controlled on each treatment. There seems to 

 have been no way to avoid this factor, however. 



Summary and Recommendations 



Experimental results obtained by top-dressing fertilizers and lime 

 on old pasture sods are presented in this bulletin. 



The response of pasture sods to fertilizers and lime seems to be 

 governed by the moisture relationships of the soil, the lighter, drier 

 soils responding mainly to nitrogen while the heavier, moister soils 

 respond to all the fertilizer nutrients and lime because wild white 

 clover forms a component part of the sod on such soils under proper 

 treatment. 



Good sod and a well-watered soil are factors of extreme impor- 

 tance in pasture improvement especially if the materials applied are 

 limited to lime and superphosphate. A tremendous response from 

 these two materials cannot be expected on the lighter soil types 

 which will not sujiport a stand of wild white clover. 



Even on the heavier soils, those which favor wild white clover as 

 well as grasses, potash and superphosphate together appear to give 

 a better response when used together than would be indicated where 

 the materials are used separately. 



In the Connecticut Willey area, judging by results on the Living- 

 ston farm in both pasture and hay production, potash appears to 

 exert a more beneficial effect on clover growth than any other sub- 

 stance. 



Farmers appear to be justified in using lime and super])hosphatc 

 in making a l:)eginning on pasture improvement on the heavier soils. 

 After the sod is improved by these materials, thin ])otash should be 

 added to the fertilizer treatment for maximum results, and nitrogen 

 as well, if there is a shortage of jiasture on the farm in the spring as 

 through the summer and fall. 



Nitrogen has been consistent in producing more forage on light 

 as well as heavv soils in the tests discussed here. While it miefht 

 not prove profitable to apply nitrogen to a pasture where brush is 

 being brought under control and where the sod is very thin, most 

 soils will respond profitably to nitrogen when the sod is established 

 by other means. 



It should be pointed out, however, that the principal response 

 from nitrogen applied in the spring comes soon after it is applied in 

 spring and early summer. Many farmers need more feed all through 



