AND RURAL ECONOMIST. 299 



of after tillage is much diminished. The stones that impede 

 the plough and scythe are removed, and not the least essen- 

 tial benefit is the constant sujjplies of loater which may be 

 insured in any field inclining to moisture, which, with refe- 

 rence to animals, will, as a permanent convenience and ad- 

 vantage, fully compensate the expense of drains. 



I have just put down a field of wheat which has required 

 extensive underdraining. This field has required two hun- 

 dred and fifty rods of stone draining, and I hope to be remu- 

 nerated the whole expense in the surplus crops of the two 

 next years, to say nothing of the pleasure of witnessing the 

 fiinest grains and kindliest grasses taking the place of bul- 

 rushes and wild grass. 



I am, sir, your most obedient servant, 



Henry W. Delavan. 



PASTURE. To manage pasture land advantageously, it 

 should be well fenced in small lots, of four, eight, or twelve 

 acres, according to the largeness of one's farm and stock ; 

 and these lots should be bordered at least with xows of trees. 

 It is best that trees of some kind or other should be growing 

 scattered in every point of a pasture, so that the cattle may 

 never have to go far in a hot hour to obtain a comfortable 

 shade. The grass will spring earlier in lots that are thus 

 sheltered, and they will bear drought the better. But too 

 great a proportion of shade should be avoided, as it will give 

 a sourness to the grass. 



Small lots thus sheltered are not left bare of snow so early 

 in the spring as larger ones lying bare, as fences and trees 

 cause more of it to remain upon the ground. The cold 

 winds in March and April hurt the grass much when the 

 ground is bare. And the winds in winter will not suflfer 

 snow to lie deep on land that is too open to the rake of 

 winds and storms. 



It is hurtful to pastures to turn in cattle too early in the 

 spring; and most hurtful to those pastures in which the 

 grass springr earliest, as in very low and wet pastures. 

 Potching such land in the spring destroys the sward, so 

 that it will produce the less quantity of grass. Neither 

 should cat lie be let into any pasture until the grass is so 

 much grown as to afford them a good bite, so t^at they may 

 fill themselves without rambling over the whole lot. The 



