These are very important to all who keep domestic animals. The following
brief directions for successful pasturing are essential. It is very poor
economy to have all your pasture-lands in one field, or to put all your
animals together. Pasture fields in rotation, two weeks each, allowing
rest and growth for six weeks: first horned cattle, next horses, then
sheep. Horses feed closer than cattle, and sheep closer than horses;
each also eats something that the others do not relish. Pasturing land
with sheep thickens the grass on the ground. For the kinds of grass
preferable for pastures, see our article on _Grasses_. Plaster sown on
pastures containing clover, materially increases their growth. A little
lime, plaster, and common salt, sown on any pasture, will prove very
beneficial. Streams or springs in pastures double their value. The idea
that creatures need no water when feeding on green grass is a mistake.
Every pasture without a spring or stream should have a well. Cattle in a
pasture in warm weather need shade. It is usual to advise the growth of
trees in the borders, or scattered over the whole field. Sheds are much
better. Trees absorb the moisture, stint the growth of the grass, and
injure its quality. A pasture containing many trees is not worth more
than half price; it will keep about half as much stock, and keep them
poorly. Bushes, which so often occupy pastures, should be grubbed up,
and by all means destroyed; so should all thistles, briers, and large
weeds. Hogs and geese should be kept in no pastures but their own. Never
turn into pastures when the ground is very soft and wet, in the spring;
the tread of the creatures will destroy much of the turf. Creatures in
pasture should be salted twice a week. The age of grass, to make the
best feed for animals, is often mistaken: most suppose that young and
tender grass is preferable; this is far from correct. Grass that is
headed out, and in which the seed has begun to mature, is far more
nutritious, as every farmer can ascertain by easy experiments. Tall
grass, approaching maturity, will fatten cattle much faster than the
most tender young growth. Pasturing land enriches it. It is well to mow
pastures and pasture meadows occasionally, though few meadows and
pastures should lie long without plowing. Top-dressings of manure, on
all grass-lands, are valuable; better applied in the fall than in the
spring; evaporation is less, and it has opportunity to soak into the
soil.