1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



155 



from its introduction into Marjland by the Rev. gets such root-hold as to withstand the effects of 

 Timothy Hanson) and the red-top, and the red and frost, unless it is very sever. In the succeeding 

 ■white clover or honey-suckle. There are the mead- summer such fields often yield more than a ton per 

 ow fox-tail, the rough coSks foot, or orchard grass, acre, and the second summer, if the operation was 



tall fescue, rye grass, &c,, but few persons, however, 

 are able to apply the name with certainty to the right 

 variety, and the terms are seldom used. 



Next to the adoption of the best varieties, is the 



all right, from two to three tons. "We have accom- 

 plished this in our own practice. 



A more common practice is, to plow in the 

 spring, manure and sow grass seed with about three 



importance of a proper cultivation of them. The i bushels of oats to the acre. This course frequently 

 average product at present is probably about one operates well, but in many cases, failure is the re- 

 ton per acre. But this is not a paying crop — and suit. The oats sometimes spring into a rapid 



no good farmer will cease his efforts until he adds 

 half a ton to this average, or doubles it. When 

 the expense of reclaiming, plowing, manuring and 

 seeding down is taken into account, it will be seen 

 that one ton brings little or no profit, and thus there 

 occurs a waste of energy, of time, and interest in- 

 vested in the land. In order to accomphsh the 

 result, three things must be regarded. 



1. Thorough draining. 



2. Deeper plowing. 



3. Higher manui'ing. 



Without the first, as a basis to start upon, both 

 of the others will, in a degree, fail to accomjjlish the 

 expected purpose. When this is effected, there 

 will be no standing water to repulse the roots, and 

 the deep plowing will enable them to roam at pleas- 

 ure in search of agreeable locality or food. Here, 

 then, is the superstructure ; now add the fertilizing 

 agents, subjecting the land to hoed crops, as far as 

 possible, for two or three years before devoting it 

 to grass, feeding it liberally just before it receives 

 the seed, and then you have a basis from which to 

 gather profitable crops through all time, so long as 

 the same process is observed. It is simply acting 

 on the consistent rule, "Feed your crops and they 

 ■will feed you." The food must not only be there, 

 but under such conditions that they can reach and 

 appropriate it. If it is in cold spring water, they 

 will not touch it ; or if too near the surface, where 

 the sun will smite them by day, or cold winds or 

 eolder vapors chill them by night, they will have 

 no appetite to feed on your proffered bounty. But 

 give them a mellow seed bed, mingled with ferment- 

 ing vegetable and animal matters, through which 

 the sun in heaven shall send his cheering beams, and 

 the blessed showers shall percolate and find their 

 gladsome way, fructifying every little rootlet with 

 their moisture, and then you shall have, not only 

 your two tons, but often three to the acre! Under 

 these conditions, heat or cold, flood or draught, will 

 have little influence on a grass crop ; it becomes 

 one of great certainty, and of generous profit. 



Where grass is principally desired, and the land 

 is not wanted for other crops, a practice is now ob- 

 served of plowuig the sward in August or Septem- 

 ber, and seeding at once. If the season is favor- 

 ■ able as to moisture, this course operates well. 

 The young grass comes readily, grows rai)idly, and 



growth, shading, and taking entire possession of 

 the ground and utterly precluding the tender grass 

 plants from any participation in the rays of the sun, 

 and with scarcely a place whereon to stand. They 

 gain Uttle in root, and but a trifle in height, are 

 slender, succulent and weak, and when the oat croj) 



cut, and the sun blazes in upon their tender 

 heads, they quietly lie down and die, just as any 

 sensible plant would be expected to, under such 

 treatment. 



Barley is a better grain to seed down with than 

 oats, because it does not send out so many off- 

 shoots or tiller as much as oats. 



Another course, and one for which we have much 

 partiality, is to hoe the com crop flat, and at the 

 third hoeing in August, sow the grass seed, and 

 rake it in. The process is not a slow or disagree- 

 able one ; indeed, I think it can be done at much 

 less cost than some other modes of seeding to 

 grass. In this position, the young plants have 

 good opportunities for a fair and pleasant start in 

 the world. The ground is mellow and moist, and 

 protected from high wind by the corn, so that when 

 the tiny seed starts and the tender germ takes 

 hold of a neighboring morsel of rich muck or other 

 fertilizing matter, it is not torn rudely away by the 

 wind, but left to extract its supplies and grow fat 

 upon them. The com also breaks the direct rays 

 of the sun from the young grass, but leaves suffi- 

 cient heat to pass to promote their growth. When 

 the sun becomes less vertical and intense, the com 

 is usually topped, and the rays are more freely ad- 

 mitted, so that without purposely favoring the new 

 crop, the operations on the old one, or corn, seem 

 exactly to suit its wants. The corn-stalks, when 

 gathered, should be cut close to the ground, or with 

 a hatchet may be cut a little below, so as to be en- 

 tirely out of the way of the scythe at the first mow- 

 ing. 



On the subject of seeding and of harvesting, 

 some thoughts occur, but we should be exceeding 

 reasonable limits to speak of them now. 



We have said nothing of the grasses for our pas- 

 tures — and this is a subject, too, which intimately 

 concerns us all. No branch of our husbandry so 

 much requires "consideration as this, and we trust it 

 will be the subject of your earnest inquiry and in- 

 vestigation. 



