44 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 
afford to devote good land to this purpose. There is 
much truth in this contention, particularly in view of 
the usual method of pasturing in this country, which 
is to throw all the pasture-land into a single inclosure 
and turn all the stock upon it. When land is pastured 
in this manner, if it is stocked sufficiently to keep the 
growth down, the yield of forage is small, for a small 
plant does not make as much growth in a day as a 
large one. On the other hand, if the amount of stock 
is too small to keep the growth eaten down, much feed 
is wasted by trampling, and the grass is eaten closely 
in some places, while it is left to grow rank and coarse 
in others. 
The Michigan Experiment Station some years ago 
determined the relative yield of forage on grass-plats, 
part of which were kept closely clipped, in imitation of 
pasture, the remainder being treated as meadow, and 
cut when more fully mature. The yield of forage on 
the plats treated as meadow was three to four times 
that of the others. This agrees with the experience 
of farmers that meadows produce more feed than the 
same area in pastures. ‘The practice of devoting only 
rough lands to permanent pastures, therefore, seems to 
be justified—at least in seG@tions where farm-land is 
high-priced. 
Methods of pasturing prevail in many parts of 
Europe by which much more feed is obtained from the 
land. There cattle are frequently tethered in such 
manner that the area they can graze is only sufficient 
to furnish feed for one day. The next day they are 
moved far enough to secure another day’s feed. In 
this way grass is eaten clean, and there is little or no 
