306 GRASSES OP IOWA. 



Sowing of {/r ass seed. — The saving of grass seed is one of the 

 many important questions connected with a meadow or a pas- 

 ture. Storer* says: "Every farmer would like to know what 

 kinds of grasses are best adapted to his own particular fields, 

 and to know just what conditions the soil should be brought to 

 in order to the utmost economy of production both as regards 

 fertility, firmress, and fineness of tilth and in respect to moist- 

 ure, and the amount of sowing. " It is important to know what 

 soil is best adapted for certain grasses as well as the amount 

 of seed to be sown per acre. The depth at which seeds should 

 be planted is an important probkm for the farmer to consider. 

 For our agricultural grasses it is important to have the soil 

 well drained. The drainage need not be as thorough as for the 

 cultivated cereals. Blue grass, timothy, orchard grass and 

 awnless brome grow successfully on any of our prairie soils. 

 They are not nearly so successful on hard pan soil. In start- 

 ing a meadow or pasture the soil should be well prepared. It 

 is better to start the meadow or pasture on soil which has been 

 cultivated with cereal crops for several years. A well culti- 

 vated corn crop followed by wheat or other cereal crop will 

 put tfce field in excellent condition. The field should be in a 

 good state of fertility. For Iowa conditions it is not usually 

 necessary to apply manure. If the soil is in good condition, 

 the next important step to consider is the time to sow. On 

 this point opinions differ greatly. In New England as Storerf 

 tells us the practice of farmers has greatly changed in 

 regard to the seeding of grass fields. Formerly spring was 

 thought to be the best time of the year and this notion still 

 persists in Maine. It is still the custom in many other parts 

 of northern United States. Conditions in different sections 

 must modify the practices of farmers in this regard. In north- 

 eastern Iowa along the Mississippi, western Wisconsin and 

 southeastern Minnesota, the fall is certainly advisable. 



Thomas A. Williams]: says: "In Nebraska and the Dakot«is 

 very fine stands of timothy are often obtained by sowing in the 

 fall on millet stubble. In this case the laud is given a thor- 

 ough coating of well -rotted stable manure, and is plowed very 

 deep and as late as possible, so as to kill all the weeds that, 

 may start. The millet is cut early and the timothy is sown 



*A.griculture la some of Its relations with Chemistry. 3:482. 



tAgriculture in some of its relation to Chemistry. 3:460. 



STlmothy in the Prairie Region. Yearbook U. S. Dept. of Agr. 1896:148. 



