CHAPTER XL 



GENERAL TREATMENT OF GRASS LANDS. 



THE importance of having the ground well tilled and 

 thoroughly prepared by liberal manuring before com- 

 mitting the seed to it, is too apparent to need remark. 

 When the seed is sown, it is the common practice to 

 harrow it in, either with an iron-tooth or a bush or 

 brush harrow, or both ; and those who adopt a more 

 careful culture follow these operations with a thorough 

 rolling, which compresses the soil, and usually causes an 

 earlier germination of the seed. The importance of this 

 last operation, that of rolling, is too often overlooked. 

 By reference to Table XIV., the importance of cover- 

 ing at the proper depth is also apparent, since it will be 

 seen that a large proportion of the seeds germinated 

 with a very slight covering. 



Many questions of a practical character suggest them- 

 selves to the farmer, after all has been done to secure 

 a complete and thorough cultivation of the soil and a 

 luxuriant crop, and among the first is the economy of 

 fall feeding. 



This is the term applied to feeding off the aftermath 

 of mowing lands, a practice which is very prevalent, 

 and justified by experienced farmers rather on the plea 

 of necessity than any other, since most farmers, of care- 

 ful observation, admit that it is, on the whole, injurious. 

 A large proportion of those who are in the habit of fall- 



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