266 FIELD CROPS 



340. Depth to Cover the Seed. The depth to which 

 grass seed should be covered is important. With small 

 seeds like those of the grasses and clovers, the danger is in 

 covering too much rather than not enough. In dry seasons 

 or in sections where the rainfall is scanty, deeper covering is 

 necessaiy than under ordinary conditions, to reach moist 

 earth. Seed may be covered to a greater depth in sandy 

 soils than in those of a clayey nature. The proper depth of 

 covering may often be obtained by rolling the field after the 

 seed is sown, though a light harrowing is usually more effec- 

 tive. Covering to a depth of from one quarter of an inch 

 to one inch will generally produce good results, though on 

 sandy soils or in dry regions a greater depth of covering may 

 be necessary. The seeds of Kentucky blue grass and many 

 other grasses often germinate when they are not covered 

 except by the natural movement of the soil particles. 



341. Rate of Seeding. Definite statements with regard 

 to the proper rate of seeding will be made in the special dis- 

 cussions of the various important hay crops, so only a few 

 general rules will be given here. In mixtures, it is cus- 

 tomary to sow enough of the more important grasses to give 

 a full stand if the less important ones fail. The total quantity 

 of seed in a mixture is usually greater than if any one of the 

 constituents were sown alone. When clover and timothy 

 are sown together, nearly as much seed of each is sown as 

 when either is sown alone. The rate of seeding must be 

 increased on poorly prepared land, to allow for the consider- 

 able number of seeds that will fail to germinate. When 

 sowing a field that is to be used for the production of seed, 

 less seed is used than when sowing for hay production. More 

 seed is usually sown on wet land than on dry, and on rich 

 land than on poor. 



342. The Important Meadow Plants. The most impor- 

 tant plants in American meadows are timothy and red 

 clover. Alfalfa is the great hay plant of the West, and its 



