THE GREATEST agricultural resource of New York is its exceptional adaptation for the growth of grass. Yet the hay crop has received little attention and pastures have rarely received any care ..... It would certainly seem good policy to consider means of increasing the efficiency of our pastures."
This statement, made by the late Doctor G. F. Warren, appears in Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 280, published in 1910.
As a result of research commenced in 1931 it is now possible to make recommendations concerning methods of fertilization and grazing management that will increase the efficiency of New York pastures. These recommendations are discussed in this bulletin.
AT CORNELL University good pastures are yielding annually from 4000 to 6000 pounds of dry matter to the acre, containing from 20 to 30 per cent of protein. Such yields are sufficient to justify the use of good land for pasture.
In the selection of fields for improvement, consideration should be given to their distance from the farm buildings, their accessibility to drinking water, and their adaptation for division into smaller fields to permit the adoption of a system of alternate grazing. Whenever possible fields should be selected that are sufficiently free from stones, stumps, and hummocks to permit close mowing.
Moderately level fields are desirable, and those sloping to the north and east are more productive during the hot summer months than are those sloping to the south and west, because lower soil temperatures are maintained. The best pasture land should be improved first, for after improvement has taken place much of the poorer land may not be needed.
Medium to heavy soils well supplied with moisture are better for pasture purposes than are the lighter and dryer soils. Because of the importance of good grazing management involving periodical close grazing, it is essential to restrict improvement to an area that can be properly grazed with the stock available. As a rule, one acre
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