132 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



The third method that of sowing in spring with a 

 grain nurse crop is used quite largely, especially neai 

 the northern limits of timothy culture, both in the East 

 and on irrigated lands in the West. Clover may be and 

 usually is seeded with the timothy. As a rule, it is best to 

 sow very early on land that has been plowed the previous 

 fall. A firm seed bed is better than a loose one. With 

 this method practically no timothy is secured the first 

 season. 



The fourth method seeding without a nurse crop in 

 spring is used on irrigated lands in the Northwest, 

 often with clover or alfalfa, and a fair cutting obtained 

 the same season. It is also used on unirrigated lands in 

 the West, where soil moisture conditions do not permit of 

 fall seeding. In the latter case, the land is sometimes 

 plowed in the fall or winter to conserve soil moisture, and 

 to avoid delay in spring seeding. 



Spring seeding, either with or without a nurse crop, is 

 not satisfactory southward, as crab-grass and other 

 summer weeds injure the timothy greatly. 



At the Iowa Experiment Station timothy was sown alone 

 March 23 and 30, April 6, 13, 20 and 27 and May 3 and 10. 

 The two May sowings were complete failures, and the 

 April 27 one nearly so. The March 23 sowing gave a very 

 good stand, but the later ones were inferior. 



118. Seed bed. A fine, well-firmed seed bed is prob- 

 ably the most favorable for timothy, as for most grasses. 

 Where fall seeding alone is practiced, a cultivated crop 

 like potatoes or tobacco leaves the land in excellent shape 

 for timothy. 



If the ground is loose, rolling is probably advantageous. 

 Rolling the ground after seeding was tested at the Utah 

 Experiment Station, with the result of increasing the yield 



