10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tramping that it is impossible for the roots of the plants to 

 penetrate among the soil particles and get the necessary plant 

 food. I have had occasion during the past year to see one 

 pasture that has been absolutely ruined because the stock 

 was turned in it while the ground was still too wet. The 

 soil has been badly compacted, until it has now reached a 

 point where there is absolutely no remedy, and the land is 

 not worth j^aying taxes on. 



Another reason, and undoubtedly the most important one, 

 is that of overgrazing. Not only must a plant have suffi- 

 cient green leaf surface Avith which to manufacture food for 

 its further growth, but in case it is a perennial plant it must 

 be allowed to store np food to be nsed the following spring in 

 starting a sufficient growth to enable it to begin manufactur- 

 ing its own food again. If a perennial plant is not allowed 

 to store np this surplus food it becomes weakened and even- 

 tually dies. In the case of annual plants, which form only a 

 small portion of the vegetation in eastern pastures, it is ab- 

 solutely necessary that they be given a chance to mature a 

 crop of seed or else they soon become extinct. In both 

 cases, as these plants disappear through misuse, their places 

 are taken by weeds or plants that stock will not graze. 



Many dairymen consider that cows do not do as well where 

 the grass is allowed to get too tall. This is true if the grass 

 is allowed to head out and go to seed. The best stockmen have 

 learned by exjDerience that their cattle do better when the 

 grass is allowed to grow two or three inches high, and, as they 

 express it, " get strong." They have also learned that when 

 a pasture gets ahead of their cattle it is an easy matter to 

 mow the tall grass, letting it lie on the ground as a mulch. 



Many farmers believe that nnless they keep their pastures 

 closely grazed the weeds will take possession. In some in- 

 stances this seems to be true. Pastures have been seen where, 

 if the stock was kept off for two weeks, the weeds, especially 

 daisies and yarrow, would take such complete possession and 

 make so rank a growth that there would be nothing for the 

 cattle to eat. The men using such pastures are actually losing 

 money. If such areas cannot be reclaimed through cultivation 

 or other practical methods the quicker they are abandoned as 



