June, 1940] 



Studies of Pasture Management 



19 



Table XI. pH content of soils on experimental pasture plots, 1939 



response t(^ lime as measured by the increase in wild white clover was 

 as marked as on those soils showing a greater need for lime. 



Becatise of the small amount of good pasture herbage on these 

 plots at the start of the experiment, response was measitred not in 

 weight of herbage, btit in control of brush and increase in ground 

 cover and good grasses and clovers. 



Herbage composition was determined on the basis of the area 

 available for plant growth as 100 per cent. This does not include the 

 six per cent of total area covered by rock and rock ledge. 



The average original stand of good grasses and clovers on the 

 19 plots was 11 per cent. The poor grasses, primarily poverty, 

 sweet vernal, and broom sedge occttpied about 11 per cent of the 

 ground area. Weeds, most of wdiich were inedible or tmsuitable for 

 milk production, and moss covered about 22 per cent of the ground 

 area. Brush occupied nearly 51 per cent of the ground area, and 

 abotit 5 per cent was bare. 



The first season's response to clearing and fertilizing was a marked 

 reduction in brush growth, considerable increase in good grasses and 

 clover, an increase in various weeds, little change in amount of poor 

 grasses, and a reduced amount of moss, particitlarly on the nitrogen 

 plots. Although no ferns or brakes were observable before clearing, 

 these plants came in quite generally during the first year on eight 

 of the nineteen pastures. The real improvement appeared the sec- 

 ond 3'ear. 



The herbage composition is shown in Table XII. 



