34 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



Some springs that run abundantly in spring 

 and fall, dry up in raid summer. In my own 

 pasture a spring stopped, and the earth that 

 was trodden around it by cattle, showed no 

 surplus moisture, yet by digging a few inches 

 a clear stream came bubbling up, and a little 

 more digging gave a good supply. 



The owner of a very dry farm in my neigh- 

 borhood set his man to digging in a place 

 where the mud showed symptoms of a spring. 

 Immediately a spring was released that has 

 ever since furnished water sufEident to drive 

 two hydraulic rams, by which water is pro- 

 pelled to two dwellings. In order to get the 

 required fall of water, a curb was made around 

 ihe spring, of stone laid in cement. This, 

 filled to the top, gave three or four feet fall. 



If there are no springs that can thus be im- 

 proved, surface water can be held in reserve 

 in pools and cisterns. In most pastures there 

 are low depressions, where the surface water 

 naturally accumulates. A pit ten feet square 

 with the sides of plank, backed up by blue 

 clay, or the sides plastered with cement, 

 would hold a supply for a small stock through 

 the summer. If stock visit the barns at pleas- 

 ure, the roofs will furnish water, if it is prop- 

 erly directed into cisterns, from which it may 

 be pumped as needed. Wells also can be 

 dug — if shallow, let them be large so as to 

 hold a good supply. 



Stock, in a dry pasture, that are driven 

 some distance to a brook every day will rarely 

 keep in good condition. They become uneasy, 

 and ihe care of them will be a tax upon the 

 owner's time. Any pasture In New England 

 can be supplied with water. 



Stock for Pasture. 



The best stock .to keep a patture in condi- 

 tion is, doubtless, sheep, as they lay upcm the 

 elevated portions, which are speedily enriched 

 by their dfoppings. The lower portioas, 

 which are grazed QLiing the day, are naturally 

 richer, but will receive a due proportion of 

 manure. 



Next to sheep, are full grcjwn cattle, fed for 

 betf, that lie day and night in the pasture. 

 Young cattle take more from the nutritive ele- 

 ments of their feed than beef cattle, because 

 their bones are growing as well as their fiesh. 



D.airy cows soon get the habit of coming to 

 one part of the pasture at milking time, and 

 if thoy are not removed from the pasture at 

 night, their droppings accumulate and make a 

 a portion of the pasture uselessly rich. If 

 the droppings are shovelled up into heaps, and 

 some soil added each day or week, there will 

 be a load or two of manure from each cow 

 ^in the dairy, duiing the season. If this fer- 

 tilizer is carted back into the pasture and 

 spread in the fall, it will increase the feed or 

 improve the pasture. If, in addition to this, 

 the part of the pasture used for a milking yard 

 is plowed and sown to corn for fodder, and 

 another yard fenced out, doubtless the top 



dressing and fodder-corn would improve the 

 pasture steadily. 



Horses alone are the poorest stock for pas- 

 tures, as they are dainty feeders, leaving 

 coarse grass and bushes, and their droppings 

 are of but little benefit to the turf. Steady 

 work horses can profitabljifbe pastured with 

 cows, as they graze by the hour near the bars, 

 where the rank feed is refused by the cows. 

 Colts are apt to chase cattle and sheep at 

 times. To get the greatest profit from a pas- 

 ture, mix the stock in about this proportion : 

 ten cows, one horse, and fi«e sheep. 



Fencea. 



Pasture fences should be such as to secure 

 any stock. In some parts of Massachusetts, 

 New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, a single 

 wall surrounds the pasture, and although sheep 

 would be the most profitable stock where lamb 

 is twenty-five cents a pound, yet sheep cannot 

 be kept secure by a slight, imperfect wall. If 

 stakes supported a rail above the wall, it would 

 be better, or a board nailed to posts in the 

 wall. I haye seen miles of wall that was 

 nearly useless, as its security is measured by 

 its weak places. 



Cedar rails, laid up Virginia fashion, each 

 two lengths forming the sides of a triangle, 

 make a good fence, if the work is well done. 

 Where durable wood for posts can be cheaply 

 obtained, a board fence is satisfactory, if it be 

 "pig tight, bull strong, and horse high." 



Shelter and Shade, 



In most pastures, there are trees that give 

 shade, but in the cold rains of spring and the 

 bleak winds and early snows of autumn, stock 

 should have shelter. Colts, sheep and young 

 cattle are not usually confined to the farm 

 yard until winter is fully come. As they stand 

 curled up by the fence during a cold, pelting 

 rain, they are very uncomfortable, even if they 

 do not contract disease that will show itself 

 during the winter by a cough, running nose, 

 and general debility. 



Build a shed in the pasture, in a poor por- 

 tion if convenient, and have here the salt 

 trough, also a place to feed grain. Have the 

 buildiog so made that it can be closed, so as 

 to control the stock, whether colts, cattle or 

 sheep. If mostly closed, it will be darkened, 

 so that there will be less trouble from flies in 

 summer. Such a shed will be voluntarilv used 

 by the stock, — they will hasten to it in the 

 storm, and will linger there during hot days. 

 The adjoining portion of the pasture will be 

 improved, and if bushes or brakes are abun- 

 dant, they will diminish. The stock will be 

 more gentle and be more easily controlled, a 

 fact that will be appreciated by farmers who 

 have been worried by vild colts, sheep and 

 young cattle. Such a shed can be cheaply 

 made, by setting posts in the ground and 

 boarding upon them and making a roof of 

 boards. J. 



