f\ n . f "7 f Issued March 19, 1910. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY -Circular No. 49. B. T GALLOWAY, Chief ol Bureau. MPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW TORE AND THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. BY J. S. COTTON. Assistant A.gru i lti rist, Office of Farm M w \<;'i mi \ i 23351-1910 WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1910 D#£u V MENTS ^EPT 1 U.S. DEPOSITORY [Cir. 49] 2 BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. ij Bureau, Beverly T. Galloway. Assistant Chief of Bureau, G. Harold Powell. Editor, J. E. Rockwell. Chief Clerk, James E. Jones. H. P. I IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW YORK AND THE NEW ENGLAND STATES." INTRODUCTION. One of the most important problems confronting farmers in the Eastern States is the improvement of worn-out pastures. This is especially true in eastern New York and the New England States. The pastures in this region are of two general types: (1 ) Those that are smooth enough to permit cultivation and which, if so desired, can be included in a rotation system, and (2) those that are too rough and too rocky to permit cultivation and can only be utilized as pastures or allowed to grow up to timber. Figures have not been obtained to show the relative percentage of these two types of pas- tures. In eastern New York it is probable that the area of each kind is about the same. In the New England States the country is more broken, and the rough, broken pasture land that must always remain as such great l\ predominates. These pastures were cleared of timber from fortj i" one hundred years a'_ r ". depending somewhat on the locality in which they are situated. For the most part they were allowed to sod over by nat- ural processes. So far a-- can he learned, they have been grazed continuously from earlj spring until late fall, practically to their full grazing capacity, ever since their establishment. During this time almost no improvement in the way of fertilizing, seeding, or England i~ primarily a region of live-stock fanning, for the mosl pari dairy- ing. The problem of the old pastures of thai region is closely associated with the ■ rat problem of producing feed for dairy cows on the [arms of those States. In Farmers' Bulletin 337, entitled "Cropping Systems for Now England Dairy Farms," it was |>ointof uecessity will gro^ -lowly, produce very little feed, and eventually become enfeebled and die out. In spite of this fact the great majority of eastern farmers consider that it is had lor a pasture to lei thegrass get a start, believing that a more dense sod is obtained by close grazing. The excellent stands of <;rass obtained in many of the southern beef pastures where the grass is allowed to get ag I -tart before it is grazed (PI. LT, fig. 2) show that this -t atemenl <\<>t^ not hold t rue. RESULTS OF TOO CLOSE GRAZING. The beef-cattle men have learned that it i- very unwise for them to overstock their pasture-. If an animal is to he gotten fat enough I'.' I 6 IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW YORK, ETC. for market purposes on grass, there must be a luxuriant growth of it. (See PI. I, fig. 2, and PL II, fig. 2.) If an attempt is made to carry too large a number, the animals immediately begin to lose flesh. This means that a beef pasture can not be profitably grazed to a point where it will be damaged. Many dairymen consider thai cattle do not do as well where the grass gets tall. It is true that if grass is allowed to head out and get woody live stock do not relish it. The best stockmen have learned by experience that whenever grass gets ahead of the cattle it is an easy matter to mow the tall grass, letting it lie on the ground as a mulch. This allows the grass to again send up a fresh, succulent growth, the pasture and the cattle both being benefited. While stock do not do as well if the grass is too old, it is equally true that the grass must be given a chance to get a good start. Many New England farmers believe that by close grazing weeds can be kept out. As a matter of fact, this very practice gives the weeds a better start. In the western part of the United States, where the rainfall is much less than in the East, the fact that over- grazing causes weeds to become more abundant has been very defi- nitely proved. In California, as a result of overgrazing, the original grasses and forage plants were destroyed. Their places were taken by other plants that were not relished by live stock, these plants gaining ground because the stock did not eat them readily. After the more valuable forage plants disappeared, the stock learned to eat the plants of inferior character. These in turn were overgrazed and disappeared, their places being taken by plants having still less forage value. In this manner the carrying capacity of the Cali- fornia ranges has been greatly lowered in the course of two genera- tions." A study of range conditions shows that whenever a dry season occurs if there is not enough vegetation to make a good ground cover, as is the case with the pasture shown in Plate I, figure 1, the soil dries out very rapidly and many plants are killed. With the advent of a more favorable season the weeds usually take their places. This condition has occurred in eastern New York and tin- New England States during the seasons of 190S and 1009. It will be even more strikingly shown in 1010 if the season is favorable for plant growth. The weeds naturally are followed by brush (PI. II, fig. 1), and the pasture eventually becomes worthless. Many farmers, not knowing the remedy, take no steps to prevent this condition of affairs. They consider that their pastures have "just naturally played out" and I hat there is no practical remedy. "Bulletin 12, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 1902. [Clr. 19] . U S- D.-pt Plate II. Fig. 1.— Pastures Grazed Too Closely, and as a Result Fern, "Ground Hemlock/ and Timber have taken Possession. Mlfctt *& Fig. 2.— An Ideal Stand of White Clover and Kentucky Bluegrass i June-Grass>, the Result of Proper Management. PASTURES SHOWING THE RESULTS OF IMPROPER AND PROPER USE. [IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES I .\ I \.-il.K.\ NEW YORK, I 7 DETERIORATION MOSTLY DUE TO OVERGRAZING. The deterioration of pastures carrying dairy cattle is for the most part due i" i"" close grazing. It is a provision of nature thai per- ennial plants store up food in their roots, which is used by them when starting a fresh growth in the earlj spring. If such plants arc kepi Grazed so closeh that thev are unable to store up this food t hc\ even- tnallv become enfeebled and die. In addition, there are a number of other conditions resulting from close grazing. First, close grazing carried on over a period of years results in a heavy loss of humus, which is necessary for plant growth. AJso, when a pasture is grazed closely, so thai there is no plant growth to form a mulch (PI. I, fig. I), the evaporal ion is very greal . Under such conditions the soil becomes too dry for the maintenance of the native forage plant.-,. lie forage plants give way, drought-resisting weeds take their places, as has happened in the pasture shown in Plate II. figure 1. Again, dairy cattle by the production of milk take more from such a lire than they return. This results in a loss of plant food, which also becomes e\ idenl after a period of years. This loss of plant food is much less than in the case of a hay meadow from which the hay is sold year after year, but nevertheless it is going on just the same. METHODS OF IMPROVING PASTURES. There are numerous areas on steep sidchills, where the soil is naturally thin and poor and where there is much danger of dan through erosion, that should never have been cleared of timber. If places have not already reverted to timber they should be i -i ri\ a- soon as possible. « The increased price of western grain will probably require the ii farmer to go back to the old plan of raising a considerable part, if not all, of hi-- concentrates. Under such conditions the pas- ture will play a. very important part, as it does in Europe, 6 in farm- ing operations. This can he done by better systems of handling stock, in order to prevent too early grazing and overstocking; also by fertilization, cultivation, reseeding, and the eradication of weed--. As this deterioration has been going on for a long time the restora- tion can nut he accomplished in one year. Based on results obtained in similar work elsewhere it is \er\ probable that the improvement can ordinarily he accomplished in from three to five years with a comparative!} -mall outlay of money. formation relative to rating of such areas can I d by writing to ih«' I ce, U. S. De] ure. i>*i-v Bulletin 1 10, Illinois Agricu [Or. i'J] 8 IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW YORK, ETC. THE PREVENTION OF OVERGRAZING. A very essential point in the improvement of worn-out pastures is the prevention of overgrazing. If a pasture is to be improved it is absolutely necessary that the grass be given a chance to make a good healthy growth and that some of the plants be allowed to produce seed. This can be done by reducing the number of stock or by giving the cattle additional forage to supplement the pasture. THE PREVENTION OF TOO EARLY PASTURING. One of the most harmful practices in New York and the New England States is that of turning the cattle on pasture too early in the season. In a great many instances if the cattle were kept off for an additional week or ten days the pasture would produce far more feed during the entire season and would carry more stock. The grass should be given a sufficient start to allow enough green-leaf surface for the manufacture of the necessary substances utilized in its growth. If the grass is not given this chance its growth will of necessity be very slow and limited. The turning of stock on a pasture wliile the ground is wet and inclined to be "punchy" is also a very bad practice, especially on a clay soil. The continuous trampling results in packing the soil so hard that it is difficult for the plant roots to penetrate between the soil particles and get the necessary plant food. This packing also prevents the absorption of air and water by the soil. FERTILIZING. Investigations carried on during the summer of 1909 show that one of the most essential points in pasture improvement is fertilizing. A close inspection of eastern pastures shows them to be lacking in humus. The best remedy for this trouble is barnyard manure. An excellent way of building up a pasture is to haul on the field whatever supplementary feed is given the cattle, placing it on the highest points. This method is used with greal success in the corn belt, and also in many parts of the Southern States. If the distance from the pasture to the dairy barns or to the fields where the supplementary Iced is grown is too great to make this method practicable, the land can be top-dressed with manure. Much better results will be ob- tained if a light top-dressing is used for three or four years in suc- cession, or longer, than if a large quantity of manure is put on the land in one season. Experiments have proved definitely that rela- tively a much greater value is received from the manure when it is used often and in small quantities than when a large amount is used at one time. [Cir. 49] [MPR0VEMEN1 OF PASTURES I-\ EASTERN NEW STORK, I 9 On those areas where it is impossible to take a wagon, commercial fertilizers can be used to excellent advantage. Fertilizers contain- ing principally phosphoric acid and potash would probably give the best results. It is also probable that a small quantity of such ferti- lizers could be used advantageously in connect ion with manure. lame should also lie used, especially on the low pastures that are not well drained. However, it should not he applied at the same time as the manure or the commercial fertilizer. If manure or ferti- lizer is applied in the spring the lime would probably give better returns if put on the previous fall. ( I I TIVATIOX. Wherever a pasture is smooth enough and sufficiently free from ics to be plowed, the besl plan will he to plow the land and grow cultivated crops on it for two or three years, or until the weeds have been killed. It can then he seeded down and if properly handled will soon become an excellent permanent pasture. Under the average New England pasture conditions, plowing is not possible. The ureal majority of pastures in this region are on side- hills that are too steep for profitable cultivation or else are loo full of rocks to permit economic farming. Cultivation in such cases will consist of using a disk, spring-tooth, or peg harrow, depending on which one i-, best adapted to individual conditions or easiest to ob- tain. The cultivation will consist of loosening the old sod and form- ing a sort of mulch to prevent too great evaporation and to cover whatever native seed there ma\ chance to he. The harrow will also he of great value in pulverizing the droppings and distributing them more evenly, thus greatly increasing their value. In many instances cultivation can he practiced only in connection with reseeding or the use of fertilizers. Where reseeding is practiced and the land is too rocky for the use of farm implements the seed can he worked into the ground l>\ the use of brush harrows. Kl SEEDING. In many instances reseeding will greatly quicken the process of restoration. If a fanner desires to reseed his pasture a mixture of timothy, red-top, bluegrass, and while clover will he the most prac- tical oik'. The timothy will give the quickest returns, hut will run out after three or four years. It will last long enough to give the other grasses, which require about three years, time to become established. This seed can he broadcasted by hand, or the method of a very successful New York farmer of always spreading a lew ounces of seed over the top of his loaded manure spreader when top- dressing his meadows and pastures can he followed advantageously. [Tlr. 19] 10 IMPROVEMENT OF PASTURES IN EASTERN NEW YORK, ETC. THE ERADICATION OF WEEDS. Whenever a pasture is top rough to permit bringing it under cul- tivation, other methods of weed eradication will be necessary. A large percentage of the weeds can be destroyed if they are cut with a scythe just before they go to seed and, if possible, at their period of lowest vitality. Some of the more dangerous weeds that can not be killed in this manner will have to be dug out with a hoe or pulled by hand. The best cattle graziers in the Southern States find that if they go over their pastures once or twice a year and destroy the more dangerous weeds they have very little trouble from this cause. SUMMARY. (1) The pastures of eastern Xew York and the New England States have deteriorated greatly. (2) In direct contrast, beef pastures in other parts of the country of the same age are in as good condition as originally. (3) In the corn belt badly worn land is built up by using it as a pasture and feeding on it. (4) Graziers of beef cattle have learned by experience that too early grazing is harmful. (5) Graziers have also learned thai close grazing does not pay. (6) A study of their life history shows that plants must be allowed sufficient green-leaf surface to manufacture plant food. If this is not done the plants will produce very little feed and will die. (7) Too close grazing gives opportunity for dangerous weeds to become established. (8) The deterioration of pastures in New York and Xew England is mostly due to close grazing, because (1) this prevents perennial plants storing the food necessary for starting in spring; (2) it results in a heavy loss of humus; (3) it makes the ground too dry for the maintenance of native forage plants; and (4) it causes a considerable loss of plant food from the soil. (9) These conditions can be remedied by (1) the prevention of overgrazing; (2) the prevention of too early grazing: (3) fertilizing; (4) cultivating; (5) reseeding; and (6) the eradication of weeds. Approved : James Wilson, Si cii hi iu •>/ Ain'uiiltnri . Washington, D. C, January S, W10. [Cir. 49] o UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 3 1262 08928 9887