BLUE GKASS. 17*7 



and that is, do not pasture it to death. It is true, it will 

 stand almost unfimiteTgraTzing, but there is a point beyond 

 •which it will cease to be profitable, and that limit should never 

 be passed. The better plan, is to have the lots divided, and 

 allow the stock on one until it is cropped down, and then, when 

 no longer any pickings can be taken from it, do not allow 

 the stock to continue, to tread it, simply to have them on a 

 grass lot. It will not only do the stock no good, but, by 

 constant tramping, the grass is unable to throw up any fo- 

 liage, and in time it will die, for the roots must draw 

 some nourishment from the atmosphere, or they will perish. 

 Allow the grass to recuperate, by changing the stock from 

 one pasture to another, and nsver overstock it. Grass that 

 will keep ten oxen in growing order, will fatten five oxen 

 quickly. Stock of all kinds are constant feeders, and there 

 should always be forage enough to enable them to get plenty 

 to eat without the labor of hunting for it. 



There is much variety of opinion on the amount of stock 

 that ought to be put on an acre. This arises from the dif- 

 ference in the capacity of the land, some soils being rich, 

 dry and porous will stand much heavier grazing than 

 others^. It is safer to err on the safe side, and it is better 

 to put in too few than too many. If stock are fattened 

 quickly, they are more remunerative than when fattened 

 slowly. Then, when one lot is sold out, they can be re- 

 placed by others. Ordinarily two acres of good grass are re- 

 quisite for one three-year old ox, and what will fatten one ox 

 will fatten ten head of sheep. 



Blue Grass should be allowed to go to seed once or twice, 

 or until the ground is well set or turfed over, and then never 

 more. It is a grass that propagates itself by its creeping 

 rpots or rhizomes, and it is the disposition of all plants and 

 animals to lose vitality in the process of reproduction. 



Though perennial, this habit is upon it, and though it 

 does not actually die, its vitality is so lowered by the effort, 

 that it lies dormant for some time afterwards, before start- 

 12 



