30 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



that will be at least approximately suitable under vary- 

 ing conditions when treating of the resjDective grasses 

 which will be later discussed with some degree of mi- 

 nuteness. 



Sowing With or Without a Nurse Crop. — It is more 

 common to sow grass seeds with than without a nurse 

 ero^). A nurse crop is one which is supposed to benefit 

 the crop so^\ai along wath it for a time, by the shade 

 which it affords, and in some instances by the shelter 

 which it furnishes from the sweeping winds of winter, 

 as, when grasses are grown along with some kind of 

 winter crop. The practice rests on premises that are 

 correct, i^otwithstanding, some writers favor sowing 

 the seeds alone and there may be instances in which it 

 would be commendable to sow them thus. But as a rule 

 the practice of soAving grasses with a nurse crop is likely 

 to continue in favor with a great majority of those who 

 till the soil. 



The benefits arising from sowing grasses with a nurse 

 crop include the following: 1. When thus soaati shade 

 is furnished for the young plants while they are yet 

 tender until they become firmly rooted in the soil. 

 2. The shade thus furnished is adverse to the crusting 

 of the soil, a condition which when present is full of 

 hazard to young grass plants, especially when they are 

 exposed at such times to hot suns. 3. Usually the nurse 

 crop can be grown as well Avith the grasses present as 

 when these are absent, but to tliis there may be some 

 exceptions. For instance, when timothy is sown at 

 the same time as Avintcr wheat, it sometimes grows so 

 vigorously that the yield of the wheat is somewhat re- 



