1849. THE CULTIVATOR. 205 
tion. When the ground has become well swarded, the 
great objeet will be to keep it so. Attention should be 
given that it does not become so closely bound as to 
choke the growth of the grasses; and if spots die out, 
from any cause, they should be immediately re-seeded. 
A light sharp harrow, drawn over the field in spring, 
after the ground has settled, will prevent binding. If 
the grasses seem to be generally on the decline, it will 
be best to give the sward a thorough harrowing, imme¬ 
diately after mowing, and sow seed, more or less, ac¬ 
cording to the condition of the old grass, applying at 
the same time, a dressing of fine compost. Brush in 
the seed and mix it with the manure with a brush har¬ 
row, and pass a roller over it. Top-dressings of this 
kihd will be useful, and should be applied whenever the 
crop begins to depreciate. 
Another mode of renewing meadows has been consi¬ 
derably practiced in Massachusetts and other New Eng¬ 
land states, for the last twenty years, and is much ap¬ 
proved where it is wished to keep the land constantly 
in grass, with no other crop intervening. The land is 
plowed soon after the hay is taken off, and immediately 
re-seeded. The furrows are turned fiat, in order to 
keep the surface as level and smooth as possible. The 
furrows are first rolled and then harrowed with a very 
light harrow, so as not to disturb the inverted grass— 
the roller and harrow being passed lengthwise of the 
furrows, only. Manure, in such quantities as the farm¬ 
er can spare, is spread on the ground at the time of 
sowing the seed. It is not considered expedient to 
plow very deep, for this purpose; the new grass forms 
a good sward sooner, where the furrow is not more than 
five or six inches, than where it is of a greater depth. 
No grain is sown with the grass seed. If the autumn 
is moist, the young grass will make sufficient growth to 
stand the winter, and will give a good crop the next 
season, though it will be later than ordinary grass. 
Many farmers who have had experience in sowing 
grass seed at various seasons of the year, prefer the 
latter part of summer or the first of autumn. Grass 
sown in spring, with grain, is often overpowered and 
kept feebie. It is choked and deprived of moisture by 
the stronger growth of the grain; and if the weather 
is dry and hot at the time the grain is harvested, a largo 
portion of the grass is sure to be killed, which leaves 
the ground to be occupied by weeds. On' the other 
hand, late-sown grass escapes the drouth of the first 
season, and by having the benefit af the autumnal rains, 
becomes well set before winter shuts up the ground. 
The time of mowing has much do with the vigor 
of the sward and the amount of the crop. If the grass 
is suffered to run to seed, it exhausts the energy and 
life of the roots, much more than if it was cut at an 
earlier stage. The deterioration of the soil is also 
greater in all eases where plants are allowed to form 
seed. The question has been much discussed, whether 
mowing-grounds should be grazed by any kind of stock. 
The writer’s observation leads to the belief that this 
depends much on the condition of the land and the 
kind of animals placed on it. Cattle and horses may 
do great injury to grass land, when it is wet or so soft 
that the sward is broken and the soil poached by the 
hoof. Sheep are less liable to do damage in this way; 
though they, as well as other stock, may be kept so 
close that they will gnaw the grass to the roots, ren¬ 
dering it liable to be killed by frost or drouth; but if 
the land is only moderately fed. while it is dry and 
comparatively solid, we do not think the crops of suc¬ 
ceeding years are lessened in consequence. 
But it is argued that the aftermath should be left on 
the ground as a manure. The question is, simply, 
whether this grass is worth more for the purpose of 
fattening animals, or making butter and cheese, &c\, 
than it is for manure in its crude state; or whether it 
may not be better economy to use the grass for these 
purposes, and manure the land in some other way. 
The course of the farmer must be determined by the 
particular circumstances in which he is placed; such as 
the comparative value of the products named, and "the 
facilities he has for manuring his land. An experiment, 
however, will convince him that a dressing of manure, 
though it be only slight, will produce striking effects 
compared with the decay of any common crop of after- 
math. 
Pastures. —In most sections, it is common for land 
to remain for many years in pasturage. In hilly and 
mountainous districts, particularly, there are lands 
that have been thus in grass ever since they were first 
cleared from the forest—a period extending in some in¬ 
stances in this country, to two hundred years, and in 
Europe, some lands have been in this situation from 
time immemorial. Under proper management, the her¬ 
bage does not deteriorate either in quantity or quality. 
In this respect, grass seems to form an exception to 
most crops, which require to be managed on the prin¬ 
ciple of rotation. 
In many situations, little or no attention is paid to 
the improvement of pastures; a fact which may well 
excite surprise when we consider the important relation 
they sustain in the general economy of the farm. We 
know of no reason why a judicious expenditure of mo¬ 
ney on this part of the farm, may not yield as profita¬ 
ble returns, as the same amount laid ©ut on any other 
portion. The chief improvements required on pastures, 
are draining, the eradication of bushes and useless 
plants, and bringing the land into proper grasses. 
Drainage is, perhaps, generally most necessary. The 
watery and sour nature of herbage consequent on too 
much wetness of the soil, is not only unpalatable and 
innutritions, but absolutely unwholesome, tending to 
produce diseases of the liver both in cattle and sheep. 
Drains may be made at any season of the year, (ex¬ 
cept when the ground is frozen,) as best suits the con¬ 
venience of the farmer. Bushes can be destroyed most 
easily towards the latter part of summer. The u old 
of the moon in August,” has long been considered the 
best season for performing this business. Without ad¬ 
mitting any special lunar influence in the case, we be¬ 
lieve experience has established the fact that bushes are 
more effectually killed when cut at this period, than at 
any other. Alders and other shrubs that grow on stools 
or hillocks, raised above the general surface, may be 
torn out by the roots and effectually exterminated. 
Two men, and two to four strong oxen, with a root- 
puller, (such as has been several times described in 
our columns,) will clear them out rapidly. Briars and 
small shrubs should be cut close to the ground, and if 
they sprout, the operation should be repeated the next 
season, which, if the work is well done, will be pretty 
sure to destroy them. Sheep and cattle will kill many 
of the young sprouts by cropping them. The bushes 
should be burned, if thick on the ground, the ground 
well harrowed, and grass seed sown. 
If ground is intended for permanent pasture, we 
think it is not necessary, or advisable, to plow it. The 
condition of the soil when the forest is first cleared off, 
is favorable to the growth of grass. The vegetable 
matter on the surface can be sufficiently mixed with the 
soil with the harrow, and the grasses take more readily 
and are less liable to die out, than if the soil was re¬ 
versed by the plow. 
Grasses for Pastures.— If we examine the sward 
of our best pastures, we shall generally find it; to con- 
sist of several kinds of grasses and plants. The ad¬ 
vantage of this mixture is two-fold; the ground is 
made "to support a greater crop of herbage, and the 
thrift of stock is generally promoted by it. Animals 
when left to themselves, choose plants of different kinds, 
