Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1871 — Renovating Pastures. [ARTICLE]

Renovating Pastures.

Old pastures are often greatly deteriorated in productiveness and quality by the incoming of moss. The lighter the soil, the sooner the moss makes its appearance, and the wider the area it occupies. We have known old pastures made nearly unproductive from this growth. So long as the soil is abundantly rich in grass food, moss will not come in; when that begins to fail, a class of plants that draw different elements from the soil—a lower and coarser typo of vegetable growth—is produced. The best old pastures, those that seem to improve with age, occupy soil that is naturally extremely rich, deep, and moist enough to favor the grass. On such favored locations pasture improves with age, because the turf thickens, and the herbage becomes tine and sweet. This process goes on for years—for a lifetime—and people talk of permanent pastures. But the best will fail with age, when the store of plant-food is exhausted, unless it be,kept good by artificial means. The law of growth, maturity and decay, holds good with the best pasture as well as with the poorest, only it requires more time to complete the cycle. ... The most practical way of renovating old pastures is to plow, crop with grain, manure, and re-seed; but as It is not always.desirable to take this course, top-

dressing may be resorted to as the next best expedient Strong liquid manure will keep urfand improve gra.» lands, and effectually restrain the growth of moss For lawns and small patches of pasture this la the best means to adopt As a dry manure nitrate of soda is one of the beat, because it is readily dissolved, and thus placed in the only available form for ap propriation by the grass roots, in which, any fertilizers can be used by them, and It likewise supplies the needed elements. Farm yard manure, spread on the surface, will force a good growth for a single sen, son, but It is not a profitable use for so valuable a manure. Fresh earth, or that made from the decay of sods, is one of the most satisfactory dressings to apply to old grass land. The effect of earth alone is ’ remarkable, and considering the cost and the benefit, this material is most profitable for common use.— American Rural Home. Sane at Last!—“ For five years,” writes a gentleman at llarrlsburgb, Pa., “ I was on a wild-goose chase after remedies for dyspepsia. I have taken, first and last, enough 'infallible cures’ to float a jolly-boat, and the more I swallowed the faster I got no better. Luckily, or rather providentially, it came Into my head to try Da. Wai.kku’s Veoetaule Vinkoar Bitters. This was about five months ago. In less than six weeks not a twinge remained to remind me ofthe complaint. lam perfectly well, and have only one regret—that I did not discover the true specific sooner." ... i—i. m The Elgin, 111., Park Association will give the following premiums on the Elgin Agricultural Society Grounds, July Sd, 4th and slh, 1871: On Monday, running races, half mile heats, purse, $l5O. Tuesday, trottine, three races, purses amounting to SBOO. On Wednesday, puree of S2OO, for green horses, and a purse of $800; free to all horses: first horse, SSOO ; second, S2OO ; third, SIOO. Entries must be made by June 26, at noon. -te ♦- -«»■ Caution!— Druggists are sometimes careless, and In purchasing their stock get hold of an imitation of Dr. Sage’s Catarrh Remedy. or a counterfeit article, and innocently sell it for genuine. Never buy a package without seeing that the name printed upon it is Dr. Sage’s Catarrh REMEDY, and not Dr. Sage’s Catarrh Cure, New Catarrh Cure, CatarrhAelitver, or some other similar sounding name. Also that it is printed both upon the wrapper and also upon the U. S. Government Stamp, which is upon it, the words “ It. V. Pierce, M. D., Buffalo, N. Y.” In this way you will be sure to get the genuine. 571 If Johnson's Anodyne Liniment is half as valuable as people say it is, no family should be without it. Certainly no person, be he lawyer, doctor, minister, or of any other profession, should start on a journey without it. No sailor, fisherman, or woodsman should be without it. In fact, it is needed wherever there is an ache, sprain, cut, bruise, cough or cold. Godey’s Lady’s Book. —“ The Music Lesson”—a steel plate—graces the July number, along with a colored fashion plate, containing six beautiful designs of dresses; also extension sheet with its large number of late fashions in dress and lingerie articles; a page of children’s fashions; an Interesting wood engraving of “ The l’eddler.” There are an unusual number of designs for fancy work given, amoug which will be found, in the front of lhe hook, five designs for makiDg up and ornamenting a portfolio cover for manuscripts, drawings, etc. Godey hae presented his patrons this month with a novel slipper pattern. The ease with which It can be worked gives promise of its becoming a fashionable slipper for gentlemen. * teWood's Household Magazine.— “Ellen”—a story for parent*-by Mrs. M. A. E. Ripley, is the titlo of the one hundred dollar prize story in the Jane number of this excellent dollar monthly. Several interesting stories, sketches, poems, etc., make up the other contents of this number. This magazine is only tl.tO per year; 10 o»nts for single number. Valuable premiums for subscribers. S. 8. Wood & Co., Newburgh, M. Y. *