ORCHARD GRASS. 139 



sown after harvest on stubble land and without being 

 covered with the harrow. When sown in groves or in 

 woodland the stand is much more certain if the leaves 

 have been previously raked off or burned where they 

 may have been lodged. In such situations a stand has 

 been secured even when the young plants have been pas- 

 tured off from the first. 



Sowing. — Orchard grass is more commonly sown in 

 the early spring, but it may also be sown at various 

 seasons. As with clover and timothy it is sometimes 

 sown on the late spring snows, or on ground honey- 

 combed with frost. But sowing is probably more fre- 

 quently deferred until the ground is dry enough to admit 

 of covering the seed with the harrow. In moist situa- 

 tions it may be sowm almost any time during the spring 

 w^hen it occupies the land alone. It has also been 

 sown in the late summer or the early autumn. But 

 it should not be sown late in the autumn lest the young 

 plants should perish through the rigors of the winter 

 following. 



Whether the seed should be sown alone or with a 

 nurse crop, depends in part on conditions as to moisture 

 or the opposite, and the quickness with which a strong 

 stand is required. Under conditions of ample moisture, 

 it is more common to sow with a nurse crop, but quite 

 frequently the other method of sowing is also adopted. 

 When it is, it is necessary to keep the weeds w^ell clip- 

 ped back lest they should smother the young plants. 

 Bye, barley and wheat in both the winter aud spring 

 varieties are the favorite nurse crops, but it is not infre- 

 quently sown also w^ith oats seeded botli autumn and 



