April, 1940] 



PASTURE TOP-DRESSING IN N. H. 



elements when used together is greater than when the two elements 

 are used separately and the separate increases added together. 



Table 3 is composed of an average of the remaining five pastures 

 in which little or no wild white clover appeared in 1930. A slight in- 

 crease is noted for superphosphate and lime, but potash failed to ex- 

 ert an}- influence on yields. Nitrogen, however, gave a splendid in- 

 crease in both dry matter and protein, the total yield of dry matter 

 of the LXPK plots running almost three times that of the check 

 I'lot while the protein was more than tripled over the untreated 

 check plots. 



A critical examination of the soils of these pastures at the time 

 indicated that it was the heavier soils in which white clover devel- 

 oped while the lighter soils, those of a sandy nature, were not con- 

 ducive to the establishment of wild white clover. This would indi- 

 cate that the better moisture relationship of the heavier soils is 

 necessary for ideal pasture sods in which wild white clover forms an 

 integral part. It is worth while to point out that acidity did not ap- 

 pear to be the prime factor in determining the presence of clover 

 although liming increased foliage growth. 



Because of the interest that has developed in pasture improvement 

 in New Hampshire due to the Agricultural Conservation Program as 

 \\ell as to the land use programs, these data have been again pre- 

 sented although they had previously been published in part in Sta- 

 tion Circular 35. They emphasize, for those who wish to start a 

 system of pasture improvement, the need to select a well-watered or 

 moisture-retentive soil, and indicate the return that may conceivably 

 be expected from the use of lime and superphosphate or other mate- 

 rials likely to be used in bringing about the desired improvement. 



During the season of 1931 some of these outlying pastures were 

 continued and others added. Although the relative yield responses 

 do not differ widely from those discussed, they are presented here 

 as additional information. 



Three of the pastures in Tables 4 and 5 were started in 1929. four 

 were begun in 1930 and the other was laid out in 1931. In other 

 words lime, superphosphate and potash were applied only once in the 

 years stated, while nitrogen was applied annually. 



Table 4. — Average yields in 5 clover pastures, 1931 



Pounds per acre 



Pounds per acre 



Treatment 



Drv matter 



Protein 



Gain for Dry matter Protein 



The clover pastures, as Table 4 indicates, responded to all the ma- 

 terials, the gain from the lime application being somewhat less than 

 for the other substances. Here again the average yield of the 

 complete fertilizer and lime plots is almost three times that of the 



