252 SOWING GRASS WITHOUT GRAIN. 



Here we insert the opinion of Daniel Batchelor, of New York: 

 " Grain and grass have been sown together so long on some 

 meadows that they will no longer bear good crops either of grain 

 or grass; and there are people who keep their arable land in 

 crops as long as they can get anything off, and then they seed 

 down to grass when the soil is so sterile that it will not produce 

 a hay crop. It is not going too far to say that over half the 

 grass and clover seed sown with grain is smothered and utterly 

 lost, and in many instances, after the grain is removed, especially 

 if the weather is hot and dry, there is no hope for a grass crop 

 without reseeding ; and even where there is a tolerable catch the 

 meadow is retarded for a whole season. I suppose some will 

 deem it folly, but I think wisdom says: sow grass without any 

 other crops ; sow it in autumn ; if you are in for rotation, put 

 all your manure on your grass land, so that when you break up 

 the sod or sward for corn, the land may be found in good heart 

 for the crop. Of course, there are plenty of instances where the 

 land is new or where the fertility has been well kept up, in which 

 full success is obtained by growing grass and grain together." 



Eead what Major H. E. Alvord, of Mass., says: "\(e suc- 

 ceed v/ell in sowing clover with oats, but prefer to cut off the 

 oats and cure as hay Avhile early 'in the milk.' We have not 

 got out of the ruts sufficiently yet to prevent seeding all grasses 

 and clovers used with wheat, rye, and oats ; but I do not believe 

 it to be good farming to try to grow two crops on the same land 

 at the same time." 



On this topic, read the experience of Professor E. W. Shelton, 

 of Kansas : 



" Oats, wheat, and rye are often recommended as excellent 

 crops with which to sow grass seed. The argument is that the 

 tall grain will shade and protect the young grass. But grass 

 does not need shade when sown in proper season ; it needs the 

 sun, and, especially, it needs moisture, and this the vigorous 



