88 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



practice is to sow the timothy alone the following summer. The 

 plan is to sow the grain in the fall as usual, but without the 

 timothy, and as soon as practicable after the grain is harvested 

 the following season to plow down the stubble and prepare a 

 good seed bed. If so\\ti in August a good growth will be made 

 that season, and the crop may be cut the following summer, at 

 the same time as if it had been sown the fall before with the 

 winter grain. Where the gromng season is long enough as it is 



Fig. 24. — Soil in good tilth. The ]\Ieeker harrow is a very efficient pulverizing 

 tool. It consists of a series of small disks fitted rigidly to a straight axle. 

 — Indiana Experiment Station, Fanners Bulletin 202. 



in the latitude of Virginia, clover may be put in at the same 

 time. 



While summer planting makes it necessary to prepare a seed 

 bed especially for the grass, the process will destroy many 

 weeds, making a better quality of hay, and the increased yield 

 will pay for the extra labor. 



Seed bed. — A well-prepared seed bed is important. The soil 

 should be well compacted, firm below, with a well mulched sur- 

 face above. In this condition the seed bed will retain moisture 

 well and give a good start to the seedlings. If the plowing has 

 been done early enough to allow the seed bed to settle thor- 



