FARM MANAGEMENT IN THE OZARKS. 37 



more intensively used for pasture than formerly, through fencing and 

 deadening the growth on woodland areas. 



In converting the woodland areas into pasture the first step is 

 killing, or, as it is commonly expressed, "deadening," the large trees 

 and cutting out the underbrush. Where the salable timber has not 

 all been removed, enough tie timber may be utilized to offset a part 

 or all of the cost. The usual method of deadening the trees is to 

 girdle them. Trees of less than 3 inches in diameter are cut down. 

 After deadening the standing timber and cutting off the smaller 

 trees the problem is largely one of controlling the growth of under- 

 brush. This situation is expressed by the local phrase, "There are 

 more trees under the ground than above it." The farmers have 

 found it desirable to deaden the trees during the spring or early 

 summer, as. the trees die sooner and more surely, and as girdling 

 2 to 4 feet above the ground and chopping off the smaller trees at 

 this height reduces the sprouting from the roots. For best results 

 the sprouts should be cut two or three times yearly, depending upon 

 the density of the growth, sometimes for four or five years in succes- 

 sion, though the amount of work involved decreases each year. 



Another practice useful in ridding this land of sprouts, and one 

 which eliminates the greater part of the labor, is to pasture goats 

 on it. Since their natural food is leaves and tender sprouts, goats 

 find sufficient forage on the "deadened off" area to thrive and at the 

 same time keep these sprouts from making growth. However, 

 experience has shown that for best results in reducing sprouts the 

 goats should not have access to a great amount of grass. If grass 

 is obtainable goats will not eat the sprouts off thoroughly. Some 

 farmers separate the brush areas. from the pastures, and alternate 

 the goats from one to the other during the growing season. In this 

 way the goats are kept in better condition, while aiding materially 

 in brush control. (See fig. 14.) This method is desirable because 

 the goats can be used as a source of profit. There are relatively few 

 goats in the territory, and as their value is now clearly realized they 

 can be bought only with difficulty. The general opinion in the region 

 was that if goats pasture such land for two seasons, the sprouts would 

 be very effectively killed, and very little subsequent work required 

 to keep the growth down entirely. Goats require rather substantial 

 fencing for the most satisfactory results. 



Considerable variation exists in the method used in getting a good 

 stand of grass on these lands. Some areas afford sufficient native 

 grass pasture to be of value without the addition of tame grass. 

 However, the sowing of tame grasses has been found desirable. Good 

 pastures have been established both with and without cultivation 

 before seeding. 



