FOEAGE AND SOILING CROPS 89 



oughly, and if it is well disked and harrowed, it is not necessary 

 to pulverize the surface completely. In fact, under these con- 

 ditions the ideal seed bed is one covered by fine lumps one or 

 two inches in diameter that have been brought to the surface b}^ 

 the harrow. These small lumps afford winter protection to the 

 seedlings. 



Rate of seeding. — The amount of seed sown per acre varies 

 in different sections and with different farmers from eight to 

 thirty pounds. Fifteen to twenty pounds are generally soAvn. 

 If only eight pounds per acre are planted there are nearly two 

 hundred seeds to the square foot, while one hundred plants to 

 the foot Avould be a good stand. If mixed ^^4th red clover eight 

 pounds of each may be used, and if alsike is included, the follow- 

 ing : Timothy, eight pounds ; red clover, six pounds ; alsike, two 

 to four pounds. 



Fertilizers and lime. — As ordinarily grown in a rotation, tim- 

 othy receives only the residual effects of the fertilizers applied 

 to the grain crops. The practice of applying manure and com- 

 mercial fertilizers as a top dressing on timothy meadows has 

 shown such good results that many believe that the best results 

 are obtained Avhen used in this way. Manure gives the greatest 

 net return when spread evenly over the whole meadoAv rather 

 than placing all of it on part of the field. Nitrogen in some 

 form brings the greatest increase. The results with phosphorus 

 are not so striking. These fertilizers should be applied in a 

 soluble form early in the spring just after the first growth starts 

 so that the rains can carry them into the soil. The crojD follow- 

 ing the timothy shows a decided improvement not only from the 

 residual effect of the fertilizer applied but to the increased 

 amount of root growth plowed under. Whether or not it pays 

 to use commercial fertilizer, especially nitrogen, depends on the 

 relative price of hay and fertilizer and to the increase that can 

 be obtained. 



A good top dressing for meadows consists of one hundred to 

 one hundred and fifty pounds of nitrate of soda and one hundred 

 and fifty to two hundred and fifty pounds of acid phosphate per 

 acre, and on soils that need potash fifty to one hundred pounds 

 of sulphate or muriate of potash. 



"\Mien soils are acid, which is generally the case in the older 

 settled regions, the ^plication of lime will generally increase 

 the yield. With clover and timothy mixtures a decided increase 

 is generally due to the greater growth of clover, for clover 

 receives the greater benefit from the application of lime. 



