No. 4.] NEW ENGLAND PASTURES 11 



pastures and t-uiiverted into limber lots the better. In that 

 way they can eventually be made to pay dividends. 



All of the feed obtained by the cow is turned into milk, 

 flesh or into the energy necessary for carrying on her natural 

 functions. If that cow is required to use the gi'eater part of 

 her energy in traveling many miles over the pasture in 

 securing her daily feed, that very act is going to result in a 

 greatly decreased supply of milk. If such a cow were kept 

 in the stable or barnyard all of the time, and given oidy the 

 feeds that are used to supplement that pasture, she would 

 produce more milk than she does after running over that field 

 all day, and would thus become more profitable. A very con- 

 crete instance of this came to notice near Xorth Adams, Mass. 

 In carrying on investigations in this region two pastures were 

 studied that adjoined each other on a hillside where the con- 

 ditions were absolutely identical. One of these was badly 

 overgrazed. At midday, when the cows should naturally be 

 lying down and ruminating, all of the animals on this field 

 were actively engaged in trying to get enough to eat. Jn 

 the adjoining pasture, just on the other side of the stone 

 fence, there was an abundance of feed, some of it actually 

 going to waste. In this area the cows were lying down taking 

 life easy. There is no doubt but that the cows in the latter 

 pasture were giving more milk than the others, simply because 

 they were enabled to convert the greater part of their feed 

 into milk. 



While it sometimes seems as tluingh close grazing is neces- 

 sary in order to keep down the weeds, nevertheless the funda- 

 mental cause of those weeds taking possession was that of 

 overgrazing. A striking illusti-ation of the fact that over- 

 grazing is a cause of the weeds taking possession has been 

 shown in California. Originally on the greater part of the 

 ranges of that State there was a good covering of natural 

 grasses that were relished by live stock. As these grasses 

 were destroyed by overgrazing their ]ilaces were taken by 

 ]>lants that were not relished by stock, the fact that they 

 were not readily eaten giving them the opportunity to thrive. 

 As the better plants disappear the live stock learn to eat the 

 poorer quality of vegetation. As a result, this in tui-ii was 



