138 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



as the sod is broken when the red clover ceases to pro- 

 duce abundantly, or at a later period. When grown for 

 pasture and more especially in permanent pastures, the 

 duration of tho rotation will of course be largely depend- 

 ent upon the duration of the pasturing period. 



It is evident, Therefore, that orchard grass is not well 

 adapted to short or to regularly fixed rotations. When 

 sown, however, as in the case of timothy, it may best 

 follow cultivated crops which have been sown to clean 

 the land or after summer fallow when summer fallowing 

 is practiced. As with timothy also, it may be best fol- 

 lowed by corn or by some small cereal, as oats or flax 

 which grow best on soils supplied with vegetable matter 

 in an early stage of decay. Potatoes also will grow well 

 after this grass. 



Preparing the Soil. When orchard grass is sown 

 along with such cereals as rye, wheat, oats and barloy, 

 the preparation of the soil best suited to the growth of 

 these crops will also be the preparation suitable for or- 

 chard grass. It is considered preferable to plough the 

 land in the autumn in localities where such a method 

 of handling the land is generally advantageous. As 

 with other grass seeds a fine tilth is usually preferred, 

 but under some conditions, when sown in the fall, it 

 would be possible to make the seed bed too fine for the 

 best results to follow. For autumn sowing, simply disk- 

 ing the land on some soils will suffice. On other soils it- 

 would be necessary to stir it more deeply by using the 

 plough, and there may be instances in which the sub-soil- 

 er may be advantageously used with the plough. Not- 

 withstanding, on other occasions, the grass will grow if 



