PERENNIAL FORAGE GRASSES 29 



with fall crops gives better results, not only because germina- 

 tion is usually more certain but because fall cereals are usually 

 harvested earlier than spring cereals; consequently less injury 

 results to the new 

 seeding after the, 

 harvesting of the 

 cereal, which is fre- 

 quently a critical 

 period for the grass. Wheelbarrow grass seeder 



In sub-humid sec- 

 tions where there is almost no fall precipitation, spring seeding 

 becomes desirable, since if sown in the autumn the seeds ger- 

 minate poorly or not at all, and the growth is unsatisfactory. 

 Autumn seeding is therefore not practised in such sections. 



28. Depth of Seeding. 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 the germination is complete. The plant is so delicate that 

 it cannot overcome the resistance of the soil. These facts make 

 a well-prepared seedbed 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 

 practised, if the seedbed 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 established. The seeds being so near the surface the 

 soil may in a few days become dry enough to kill the plants. 



29. Rotations. Rotations have usually been studied from the 

 standpoint of the influence of the grasses in improving the soil 

 for other crops rather than to secure the best rotation for the 

 grass. (C. A. 283) It has long been recognized that grass 



