BEEF CATTLE IN NORTH CAROLINA. 15 



obtained by the reader regarding the possibilities of this winter- 

 grazing method under his own farm conditions. 



ESTABLISHING WINTER PASTURES. 



The principal method used in getting the wooded mountain land 

 seeded to grass was as follows : 



The coves and flats, which were comparatively free from rocks,' 

 were cleared first. A contract was made with the mountaineers, 

 giving them the free use of the land for two years if they would 

 deaden all the large trees, clear out the small brush, and put the 

 land in cultivation, planting corn each year. The land was unfitted 

 for any purpose other than pasture development, some of the moun- 

 tainous parts being so steep that horses or other work animals could 

 not be led straight up the sides but had to be taken up by a circuitous 

 route. The rows were run around the side of the mountain, follow- 

 ing the contour of the land. The land was not plowed deep, as the 

 enormous amount of humus in the soil prevented washing and leach- 

 ing. From this land from 40 to 60 bushels of corn per acre were 

 produced. The second year, at the last cultivation of the corn, a 

 mixture of 15 pounds of orchard grass, 4 pounds of blue grass, and 7 

 pounds of timothy and clover per acre, furnished by the owner of the 

 land, were seeded broadcast through the corn. The grass seed soon 

 produced a sod sufficiently firm to prevent any heavy erosion. The 

 orchard grass, which proved to be the best for winter purposes, grew 

 knee high or higher on this land by the fall of the year. 



Although this method of cultivating the land in corn before seed- 

 ing has proved very satisfactory, it is not necessary, as grass seed 

 sown on burnt-over land makes good pasture if the land be dragged 

 and harrowed after seeding. After the pastures were seeded the 

 grass was permitted to grow through the following summer before 

 being used for winter pasture. During this time the grasses grew up 

 and fell over, thus protecting the roots during the winter. Young 

 blades or shoots continued to come out during the early winter and 

 early spring months, furnishing considerable green feed along with 

 the cured forage. 



Each year, after seeding, any undergrowth or sprouts that had 

 come up were cut down, but the cost of this was comparatively small. 

 However, it is not advisable to use new land for winter pasture for 

 more than two years in succession before using it for summer pasture. 

 Summer grazing will assist in keeping down sprouts and brush, giv- 

 ing the grasses a better opportunity to form a heavy sod, which is 

 very important under mountainous conditions. 



Each succeeding year some new woodland was put in cultivation on 

 this farm in order to have new land for winter pasture and to accom- 

 modate the increased number of cattle which it was planned to put on 



