PERMANENT PASTURES. 387 



should be used in quantities sufficient to secure good 

 growth in the young grass plants. 



The soil should be well and deeply stirred. In some 

 instances, subsoiling will be helpful and in others it 

 is not necessary. It should be the aim to have some 

 time elapse between the last ploughing given to the land 

 and the sowing of the seed and to stir frequently in 

 the interval with harrow or cultivator to secure a clean 

 seed bed. After Canada field peas, cow peas or corn, 

 potatoes or other root crops it is usually preferable to 

 use such implements in preparing the land as stir the 

 soil on and below the surface but which do not over- 

 turn it; it is greatly important to have the seed bed, 

 fine, firm and moist when the seed is sown. 



Usually, autumn sowing will be preferable; this is 

 true of the South and, in many instances, of the North, 

 though not of all. In the South, they should be sown 

 as soon as the rains of fall come ; in the North, if sown 

 in the autumn, it should, if possible, be not later than 

 August that the plants may have time to make a good 

 growth before winter. Advantage should be taken of 

 the moisture brought to the soil by rain, when sowing 

 the seed. When sown in the spring, in the North, the 

 work should be done as early as the ground is suitable 

 for being worked. In the semi-arid country, the seed 

 should be sown in the early spring or preferably in the 

 late autumn. 



The seed may be sown by hand, after all the kinds 

 selected have first been mixed; but when this is sown 

 the work should be done by an expert as it is very 

 necessary that the seed should be evenly distributed. 



