112 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



SOWING- GRASS SEEDS. 



As a general rule, grass seeds do best when sown early in 

 the spring, on a fine tilth or mellow soil. If this is done 

 while the frost is leaving the ground, no harrowing will be 

 necessary, as -the spring rains wash the seed into the honey- 

 comb left by the frost, and secure to it an early germination. 

 They are also successfully sown in August or September, 

 when the fall rains will generally give them sufficient growth, 

 to withstand the effects of the succeeding winter, if the land 

 be free from standing or surface water. 



It has recently been the practice of many judicious far- 

 mers, to renovate their old, worn-out meadows, by giving 

 them a coating of unfermented manure, and then turn the 

 sod completely over. On the surface thus plowed, a dress- 

 ing of well-rotted manure or compost with ashes, is spread 

 and thoroughly harrowed lengthwise of the furrows. The 

 seed is then sown and slightly harrowed in, and the decom- 

 posing manure and the stubble and roots of the sod give an 

 immediate and luxuriant growth. 



Grass seed is generally sown with the white grains, wheat, 

 rye and oats ; but if the grass be sown alone and sufficiently 

 thick, the young plants will exclude the weeds, and occupy 

 the soil as profitably as can be done with the grain. Though 

 the moisture and shade, which are secured by the presence 

 of the grain, are sometimes an advantage to the grass seed, 

 yet it often fails when thus sown, from the absence, per- 

 haps, of sufficient sun and air ; or more probably, from the 

 exhausting crop of grain, which precedes it. We do not 

 sufficiently appreciate the violation of one of the essential 

 principles of rotation in this practice, as the grass is of the 

 same class of plants as the grain, which has just been taken 

 from the field. When followed by clover, this objection fails. 



There is usually a great deficiency of grass seed sown, 

 when permanent meadows or pastures are required. The 

 English method is, to mix together and sow on a single acre, 

 without any grain, two to four bushels of various seeds, 

 which are the best adapted to the purpose. A quick and 

 full growth rapidly covers the surface with a rich herbage, 

 frequently surpassing in value, that of the best natural pas- 

 tures or meadows. 



LANDS THAT SHOULD BE KEPT IN PERPETUAL GRASS, 



Are such as are frequently under water, as salt and fresh 



