SECRETARY'S REPORT. 83 



grasses ; and when the clover starts on land where this white 

 grass grows, the cattle will eat the clover and pull up this grass. 

 After you once get your pasture lands into good condition, there 

 is no further trouble ; that is, if you c^o not feed them too close. 

 It is a law of nature, that the root must be somewhat in propor- 

 tion to the top. You will always observe, m pastures that are 

 close fed, that the roots extend but a short distance. If you 

 will allow the grasses to grow, they will penetrate the earth and 

 answer the purpose of subsoiling. Clover is one of the best 

 vegetables for this purpose ; it penetrates to a great distance. 

 The Canada thistle has been considered as one of the greatest 

 curses to the farmer ; but I consider it a benefit to our farms. 

 There is no vegetable that penetates so deeply and leaves the 

 soil in so good a condition as this does, and it is not very 

 difficult to get rid of it when you want to. Where they grow 

 very vigorously their roots, of course, extend in proportion. 

 The probability is that their roots extend three or four feet in a 

 deep soil ; and if the soil is not deep they will deepen it ; and 

 after they have left the soil, they leave a considerable amount of 

 vegetable matter to enrich it. 



This farm that I have been on, and have attempted to improve, 

 would not carry through the summer, when I took it, more 

 than ten head of good cattle. The probability is that the value 

 of the stock when I went on the farm was not more than five 

 hundred dollars. To-day I would not take four thousand dollars 

 for my stock. I have forty head, and I believe they would sell 

 for that at auction. 



Well, there has been no mystery about the matter. I have 

 let nature work. To be sure the soil is naturally of a good 

 quality ; but it looked as poor as any soil could look, judging 

 from the grass and everything else it produced. 



Mr. Lathrop. — I would like to inquire how you get rid of 

 the Canada thistle. 



Mr. Anderson. — When they are in full bloom, I cut them off. 

 If they are mowed about this time, the stalks, which are hollow 

 become filled with water, and they do not grow again. I have 

 found that in two or three mowings I got rid of them. But if 

 you have to mow them every year they will abundantly compen- 

 sate you for the labor. 



