Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/398

Rh 372 fitted to interest and instruct the husbandman. The importance of this subject is beginning to be appreciated by agriculturists; as one proof of which we now see our leading seedsmen regularly advertising for sale an extensive list of grasses and other pasture plants. Most of them also, for the guidance of their customers, point out the kinds and quantities per acre which are appropriate for diversity of soils and other circumstances. We refer, as an example of this, to the manual of Messrs Lawson of Edin burgh, who have devoted much attention to this subject. The following Tables will be found useful : &quot;I. FOR ALTERNATE HUSBANDRY. For 1 year s Hay For 1 year s Hay For 1 year s Hay. and and 1 year s Pasture. 2 years Pasture. It) tb It) Lolium italicum 999 perenne 18 18 18 Dactylis glomerata 2 2 Phleum pratense 1 2 2 Medicago lupulina 1 1 Trifolium hybridum 122 pratense 8 4 2 pratense perenne 2 4 repens 244 39 44 &quot; For sheep pastures it will often be found advantageous to add from 2 to 4 ft per acre of parsley seed to the above mixtures ; and for pastures in certain upland districts established practice will jus tify the introduction of an additional pound or two of yellow clover (Medicago lupulina), together with from 2 to 3 ft of ribgrass (Plantago lanceolata). And for very heavy as well as for peaty soils, 1 to 1 4 lb of Phleum pratense may be added advantageously, both for hay and pasture. &quot; II. FOR PERMANENT PASTURE, No. I. rb A lopecurus pratensis 2 Dactylis glomerata 6 Festuca duriuscula 2 elatior 2 pratensis 2 Lolium italicum 6 perenne 8 Phleum pratense 2 Poa nemoralis sempervirens 2 trivialis 3 Medicago lupulina 1 Trifolium pratense 1 perenne 3 repens 6 46 &quot; In certain cases the following additions to Table II. may be made namely, 1 to 2 ft each of Festuca rubra and Poa pratensis on dry sandy soils ; 1 ft of A:hillea Millefolium, and 1 to 2 ft of Petrosalinum sativum in sheep pastures ; 2 ft chicory (Cichorium Intybus) in cattle pastures, 6 or 10 ft of Onobrychis sativa and 4 to 6 ft of Poterium Sanguisorba (burnet) in dry calcareous soils. When a crop of hay is taken the first year, both the ryegrasses (Lolium) may be increased by a third ; and 2 ft of Trifolium pra tense added. Also J to 1 ft per acre of Anthoxanthum odoratum when occasional crops of hay are to be taken. &quot; * When land has been thus sown for a permanent pasture, care should be taken not to allow a sheep to set foot upon it for the first two years, for if these industrious nibblers are allowed to crop the tender clover seedlings before they are fully established in the soil, they are certain to remove the crown from most of them, and thus ruin the pasture at the very outset. Innumerable instances of failure in the attempt to obtain good permanent pastures are entirely owing to this premature grazing by sheep. The first growth should therefore be mown, care being taken to do so before any of the grasses have flowered. Then roll repeatedly, and stock with young cattle only until the second season is over. Having described the means to be used for obtaining 1 Morton s Cyclopaedia of Agriculture article &quot; Grasses,&quot; vol. i. &amp;gt;. 1000 [GRASSES. good pastures, let us now consider how to use them pro fitably. The art of grazing embraces the practical solution of two important problems, viz., 1st, How to obtain the greatest amount and best quality of herbage from any given pasture; and 2d, How to consume this herbage by live stock so as to make the most of it. The grazier has ever to keep in view what is best for his land and what is best for his stock; and must take his measures throughout the entire season with an eye to both these objects. As regards the first of them, experience yields the following maxims for his guidance : Never to stock his pastures in spring until genial weather is fairly established. Never to allow the grasses to run to seed, nor parts of a field to be eaten bare, and others to get rank and coarse. Duly to spread about the droppings of the cattle, to remove stagnant water, and to extirpate tall weeds. Some time about midsummer to make a point of having the pasture eaten so close that no dead herbage or &quot; fog- gage &quot; shall be left on any part of it. In what more immediately concerns the welfare of the live stock he is in like manner taught in stocking his pastures To adapt the stock, as regards breed, size, condition, and numbers, to the actual capabilities of the pasturage. To secure to the stock at all times a full bite of clean, fresh-grown, succulent herbage. In moving stock from field to field to take care that it be a change to better fare not to worse. Pasturage consists either of natural herbage or of &quot; seeds.&quot; In the south-eastern counties of Scotland there is little good old grass; all the really fertile soils being employed in arable husbandry, with the exception of small portions around the mansions of landowners. The pasturage consists, therefore, for the most part of the cultivated clovers and grasses. Comparatively few cattle are there fattened on grass; the object of graziers being rather to stock their pastures with young and growing animals, and to get them into forward condition for being afterwards fattened upon turnips. The grazing season is there also much shorter than in England, old grass seldom affording a full bite for a well-conditioned bullock before the middle of May, or later than the middle of September. It is quite otherwise in England, various parts of which abound with old grass lands, of the very richest description, on which oxen of the largest size can be fattened rapidly. These, in many cases, admit of being stocked towards the end of April, and under judicious management continue to yield excellent pasturage for half the year. When stocked with cattle in fresh condition, two sets or &quot; runs &quot; are not unfrequently fattened in such pastures in the same season. These grass-fed cattle begin to come to market early in July, and for four or five months thereafter constitute the chief supplies of beef in our markets. Cattle already well-fleshed are alone suitable for turning into these rich old pastures. When this is attended to, and care taken not to over-stock the pastures until they yield a full bite, the progress of the oxen will usually be very rapid. It is now customary to hasten this progress by giving about 4 lb of oilcake to each beast daily. The dust and crumbs being sifted out, the bits of cake are strewn upon the clean sward, from whence they are quickly and carefully gleaned by the cattle. This is usually a profitable practice. It brings the beasts forward rapidly, improves their appearance and handling, and, besides enriching the land, admits of about twelve per cent, more numbers being fed upon a given acreage. These choice old pastures are usually occupied in combination with others of inferior quality. The most forward lot of cattle having been fattened and sold off from the former,