1% THE SOILS AND CROPS OF THE FARM. 



a portion of the ground with no serious ultimate dis- 

 advantage apparently to the timothy. 



The seeding with a miscellaneous mixture of grass 

 seeds of varieties of little or no value when sown 

 alone, has neither practical nor experimental evidence 

 in this country to commend it. The seeding of lim- 

 ited quantities of several varieties merely to add va- 

 riety may be justifiable. 



For pasturage several varieties may be desirable in 

 order to furnish a succession of herbage throughout 

 the season. The chief difficulty in America is to find 

 varieties adapted to our soil and climate which will 

 do this. 



The time of seeding will depend largely upon the 

 climate and the variety and will be discussed under 

 varieties. 



Grass seeds must not be sown so deeply as cereals. 

 The smaller the seeds the shallower they must be 

 sown. They have less starch with which to support 

 the plant until it is up. The plant is so much more 

 delicate that it cannot overcome the resistance of the 

 soil. These facts make a well-prepared seed-bed or 

 a great waste of seed imperative. 



Much seed is sown without any covering, although 

 a light covering is generally advantageous. Probably 

 better average results would be obtained with deeper 

 covering than is usually practiced, if the seed-bed is 

 carefully prepared. In continued moist, rainy 

 weather the covering is not important. 



The great difficulty in securing a stand is from the 

 drying of the surface soil just when the seeds are 

 sprouting and the plants are becoming es^jablished. 

 The seeds being so near the surface the soil may in 

 a few days become dry enough to kill the plants. 



