THE CULTURE AND USES OF BROME-GRASS. 53 



If desired for pasture alone, it is considered well to sow as much as 

 20 to 25 pounds to the acre, since this quantity gives a stand that will 

 nuike good grazing sooner after sowing tlian a light seeding. Heavy- 

 seeding is advised for sections where the grass is being introduced or 

 is not commonly grown. The decrease in recent years in the quantity 

 of seed sown to the acre is due to the fact that home-grown seed is 

 used and better methods are employed in cleaning and sowing it. 



The amount of rainfall in any section usually determines whether 

 the seed is sown with or without a nurse crop. In general, in the 

 eastern half of the Dakotas a nurse crop is used, while in the western 

 part, where the rainfall is less, the grass is sown alone. Wheat, oats, 

 barley, and spelt are used as nurse crops and are usually sown at the 

 same rate as when sown alone. The grass seed is sometimes mixed 

 with the grain, but it is a more common practice to drill in the grain, 

 sow the grass broadcast afterwards, and cover by harrowing across 

 the drills. In sowing brome-grass seed with grain it is often difficult 

 to prevent it from being covered too deeply, which usually results in 

 an uneven stand. Difficulty is also often experienced in getting a 

 mixture of grain and grass seed to feed evenly through the drill. 



Even in the more humid sections of the Dakotas there is some dif- 

 ference of opinion as to the advisability of using a nurse crop. The 

 best argument in favor of this practice is that returns are obtained 

 from land which otherwise would be practically idle for one year, as 

 the grass yields nothing the first season, even though sown alone. 

 Seeding alone, however, usually gives a better stand, except, perhaps, 

 on weedy land, in which case a nurse crop is quite effective in keeping 

 down the weeds. 



In the less humid sections, where brome-grass is most commonly 

 sown alone, the preparation of the seed bed is essentially the same as 

 in cases where a nurse crop is used. ^Vlien the seed is sown with a 

 drill, it is a good practice to harrow afterwards, as this treatment 

 leaves the ground in a better condition to conserve moisture. The 

 only objection to this method is that it is likely to cover the seed too 

 deeply. 



A\liere fall wheat is grown, brome-grass is sometimes sown with it. 

 By the time the wheat is cut the next summer the grass has made a 

 good growth, and a heavy crop of hay is secured the year following 

 this. Throughout the entire brome-grass region there is some fall 

 seeding done, the time of seeding varying from July to October. 



Whether sown in the spring or fall,' with or without a nurse crop, 

 brome-grass generally does not make a very vigorous growth and 

 yields practically no forage or seed the first season. When sown 

 alone it is found necessary to mow the grass once during the summer 

 to keep down the weeds. In this case the cutting should be allowed 



111— V 



