FOR BETTER CROPS I.Vi 



firm. These conditions may usually be attained by the proper 

 preparation of the land previously. They are most rearlily 

 secured when crops for hay are sown after those that liave been 

 cultivated the previous season, as for instance crops of corn, 

 sorgfhum grown for syrup, katlir corn grown for grain, or pota- 

 toes, or field roots. The cultivation given to those crops where 

 such cultivation has been ample furnishes all the re(iuisite con- 

 ditions named above. Usually the preparation that should 

 follow such crops consists of disking and harrowing rather than 

 plowing and harrowing, but of course to this there are some 

 exceptions. 



The best time for sowing many of the grasses is the early 

 autumn, but they also may be sown in the early spring. When 

 thus sown they are not so well able to endure dry weather the 

 summer following. In all northern areas they may be sown in 

 the spring, and the same is true of alfalfa. But in all southern 

 areas these may be sown in the autumn. 



Alfalfa, as a rule, is best sown in the early autumn, south of 

 parallel 40 degrees. When sown northward in the spring, it 

 should not be sown so early as the clovers. As these are more 

 hardy than alfalfa, the aim should be to sow tliem very early. 



In moist climates, grasses and clovers may be sown any time 

 from early spring to early autumn. The aim should be not to 

 sow such grains as early sorghum and katfir corn, until the 

 arrival of settled, warm weather, and the same is true of cow 

 peas and millet. 



Millet in several varieties is frequently grown for liay. It 

 yields abundantly on prairie and slough soils, because of their 

 richness in vegetable matter, and since it will mature a crop in 

 60 to 80 days from the time of sowing, it is often sown to provide 

 hay w^hen there is likely to be a shortage. But the hay though 

 palatable and nutritious, for certain reasons should be fed in 

 connection with other fodder. 



All of the hay plants except alfalfa should be sown broadcast 

 or on the broadcast plan. It is usually better to sow alfalfa 

 with the grain drill. They may be sown by hand or by machinery. 

 Both the grasses and clover may be sown by hand-machines, 

 strapped to the body and turned with a crank, by a distributor 

 wheeled over the ground like a barrow, or by an attachment to 

 the grain drill. Usually when mixtures of grass seed are sown 

 they are mixed and sown together. But this way may not 

 always be possible, as when large or small seeds are sown to- 

 gether. They do not feed out evenly in such instances, hence it 

 may be necessary to sow them separately. Timothy, all the 

 clover seeds, and alfalfa grow well together. All grains or grain 

 mixtures may be best sown with the grain drill. The same is 

 true of sorghum, kaffir corn, and even millet, though all these 

 may also be broadcast. 



