243 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL AND SEEDING. 



manured water meadow, there were 1,702 grasses and 90 clovers 

 and other plants. The smaller the number of sjiecies the smaller 

 is the number of distinct plants to the square foot. In the words 

 of I. A. Lapham, " Much caution must be used in applying tho 

 rules laid down in books (or given in practice) for the culture 

 and management of grasses." 



There always will bo an ojiportunity for the farmer to experi- 

 ment and use all the good judgment at his command. In 

 connection with the account of each grass recommended for culti- 

 vation is given the amount usually sown to the acre, provided 

 only one kind were used. 



The following is by Prof. J. AV. Sanborn, of Missouri, formerly 

 of JS^ew Hampshire, and like the six following is from the Rtiral 

 New Yorker : 



" The amount of seed should vary from six quarts to about as 

 many bushels. The poorer the farming and the more dishonest 

 the seed dealer, the more seed will be required. Given a soil in fine 

 tilth — that is, plowed well, harrowed by a harrow that lifts and 

 pulverizes it, is smoothed off and fined with a liarro\v on the 

 Thomas Harrow principle ; if the seed is brushed in with a light 

 brush-harrow, and if the soil is an open one, or if it's a little 

 dry, rolled ; if the seed is home raised, or not over a year old, and 

 well kept, and the soil is fat with good available i^lant food — six 

 quarts of Timothy or six pounds of clover will seed an acre. 

 Per contra, if, instead of a fine, rich soil o^en to, and inviting 

 tiny rootlets in all directions, we have a cloddy soil, plowed 

 badly when wet, half tilled, where dry lumps repel the minute 

 roots of the small seeds of grass, and Avhere cavities are dry and, 

 of course, foodless; if the seed used is poorly jDreservel or has 

 been moist, and has heated, and if to it, when fresh, is added the 

 seed of the past and of the previous year, and so on, "ad mfin- 

 itiim," and if the soil is as jioor as Job's turkey, then an unlim- 

 ited amount of seed will be needed, and no amount will be enough 



