FIGURE 34. CONTROLLING THORNBUSHES
The young shoots of thornbushes and wild apple are grazed by
cattle. If bushes are removed and pastures are properly
fertilized and grazed, the young shoots are eaten soon after they
appear above" ground and the plants are thus destroyed
root growth by fertilizer treatment gradually leads to improved drainage in many fields.
ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW PASTURES BY SEEDING
PASTURE improvement can usually be accomplished satisfactorily and with least expense by the fertilization of the existing sward without plowing or seeding, and by good grazing management.
In order to establish the most productive type of pasture and to improve exceptionally poor pastures, however, the combination of plowing or harrowing, fertilizer and lime treatment, seeding with a suitable seed mixture, and good grazing management, is recommended.
The fine filth and firm seedbed required can usually be prepared most satisfactorily by plowing in the fall and harrowing in the spring. Sometimes it is advisable to crop old pasture land for a year or more previous to seeding. Very poor pastures on thin soils may give better results if the seedbed is prepared by harrowing only, to prevent bringing the subsoil to the surface.
Fertilizer treatment is essential, and the recommendations previously made (page 5) should be followed. Poor soils deficient in organic
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