TIME TO SOW GRASS-SEED. 137 



dressing will secure greater benefit from the clews, even in 

 a dry time ; and they will often bridge over the drought, and 

 prevent entire destruction. 



It is of no use to deny that grass-seed will often do well, 

 sometimes exceedingly well, when sown in the spring, under 

 favorable circumstances as to soil and moisture. My point 

 is, that, under equally favorable conditions, it will usually do 

 better when sown in the fall, especially if sown early enough 

 to allow the roots to form and gain a strong hold in the soil, 

 and to send up shoots or stalks sufficient to furnish a cover- 

 ing and protection from the frosts of winter. With this 

 covering or protection, either of its own growth, which acts 

 like a mat, or a top-dressing, it will start earlier and more 

 vigorously in spring, and yield a larger crop, than it could be 

 expected to do without it. 



If the sowing takes place any time in August, it is gener- 

 erally safe to sow the clover at the same time, as there will be 

 time enough for it to get firmly rooted so as to stand the 

 winter ; but, if later than that, it is better to delay sowing 

 the clover-seed till late in March, or even till early in April, 

 when, if the surface is dry enough to admit of it, rolling is a 

 useful addition, as it presses the seed in, and gives it a little 

 earlier start. Rolling also will press the earth firmly around 

 the roots of the young grass-plants, and remedy any injury 

 they may have received from the frosts. And here comes 

 in the use of a simple, home-made contrivance, called a 

 " drag," as described by Mr. Ware in my last Annual Re- 

 port, to which I would call attention as an excellent substi- 

 tute for the roller, that will far more than repay the cost. 



I do not believe it is good policy to sow grass-seed with 

 any grain-crop. I know the practice, in some cases, is to sow 

 grass-seed with oats, or with rye, or with barley. Barley is 

 much better than oats or rye. If I were going to sow grass- 

 seed with any grain-crop, I should much prefer barley. But 

 I believe that is one of the ways in which we are robbing our 

 grass-land, for the sake of getting a grain-crop. We want 

 to save the fertility and strength of the soil for our grasses, 

 and we want to turn our attention to the building-up and 

 perfection of our grass-lands rather than our cultivated 

 lands. If you take a crop of grain from your grass-land, you 

 are injuring the grass to a certain extent. It may not kUl it 



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