376 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



makes a good catch and is beneficial in helping to revive and renew 

 the growth of the prairie grass. In establishing a grass meadow 

 or pasture one of the most important factors is a proper seedbed. 

 An ideal seedbed for grasses should not be deep and mellow, 

 rather the soil should be mellow but finely pulverized only about 

 as deep as the seed is sown; while below the seed the soil should 

 be firm but not too hard and compact, making a good connection 

 with the deeper subsoil. This offers -the most favorable conditions 

 for the germination of the seed and the growth of the young grass 

 plants. The firm soil below the seed allows the capillary moisture 

 to be drawn up to the seed, while the mellow soil above the seed 

 offers the most favorable condition for the warming of the soil and 

 the oxygen of the air to reach the seed; and these three factors, 

 moisture, heat and oxygen, are essential for the germination of 

 all seeds. Meanwhile, the mellow mulch of surface soil acts as 

 a blanket to keep the moisture from escaping and at the same 

 time gives the most favorable conditions for the delicate little 

 plant to unfold and push upward into the air and sunshine, also the 

 firm sub-surface soil gives the proper root-hold and environment 

 which conduces to a rapid and strong growth of the young roots. 

 Grasses, clover and alfalfa are not only much more likely to start 

 poorly in a deep, loose seedbed, ,but even after starting, the young 

 plants are much more likely to "freeze out" in winter or "burn 

 out" in summer than will be the case in the shallow, firm-bottomed 

 seedbed as described above. 



Clover should be sown in the spring or early summer because 

 fall-seeded clover and alfalfa are apt to winter kill. 



Throughout a large part of Kansas grasses and alfalfa may be 

 successfully seeded either early in the fall or early in the spring. 

 On the whole perhaps the early spring seeding 1 is safer, provided a 

 good seedbed is provided and the land is not too foul with weeds. 

 It is safest to sow almost all kinds of grasses and perennial legumes 

 alone, or without a nurse crop. Always have the seedbed fully 

 prepared before sowing the grass seed, so that little work will have 

 to be done on the ground after seeding. If the seed is sown broad- 

 cast, one light harrowing after seeding is usually sufficient to cover 

 the seed, and is preferable to several harrowings or any deep work- 

 ing of the soil after seeding. Grass seed should not be covered 

 deeply, usually not more than an inch or so, or even less, depend- 

 ing somewhat on the soil and the weather conditions. A good seed- 



