ON IMPROVING PASTURE LANDS. 87 



turn it twice a day ; then put the cheese into an airy room, 

 and turn them, and butter them once a day. 

 Andover, Sept. 25, 1851. 



ON IMPROVING PASTURE LANDS. 



It is to be regretted, that there has been no appHcation for 

 premium the present year, on this important subject. I say 

 important, because I think pasture land has hitherto been more 

 neglected than other lands, and its value has not generally been 

 appreciated. I think that good pasture land will produce as 

 much net income, reckoning it at the price at which it is usu- 

 ally valued, as other lands. 



It appears from statistics officially taken in 1850, by the au- 

 thority of the state, that there are in the county of Essex 

 ninety-eight thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven acres of 

 pasture land, and that it will keep, with the fall feed on the 

 farms, nineteen thousand three hundred and six cows, taking 

 a fraction over five acres to keep a cow, on an average. Now 

 as there are some pastures where from one to two acres will 

 keep a cow, consequently we may suppose there are others 

 that will take seven or eight acres. The difference in the 

 amount of feed produced on good pasture land and poor, is not 

 all. The quality of the feed is much better on good pasture 

 land than on poor, for as the pasture improves, and the Eng- 

 lish grasses increase, the wild grasses decrease. And this is not 

 all, for where it takes seven or eight acres to keep a cow, the feed 

 is so thin that an animal is necessarily feeding nearly all day 

 to supply the wants of nature, while those kept in good pas- 

 tures, can quickly supply their wants and then retire to the 

 shadow of the tree to protect them^ from the scorching sun, or 

 if they choose, refresh themselves on the adjoining knoll. 



Now for the comparative profits of the animals. If cows, there 

 will be a great difference in the quantity and quality of the 

 milk. And in autumn, the one kept in the good pasture will 

 be in much better condition than the other. If the animal is 



