SOWING GRASS SEEDS. 87 



grass seeds. Thus an autiiiiin sowing becomes imperative. 

 Having reached this conchision, it is satisfactory to remember 

 that in addition to the chance it affords of making a thorouglily 

 sound seed-bed, tlie temperature of tlie hmd in autumn is highly 

 favourable to the germination of grass seeds, particularly in the 

 IN'orth of England. There is also the further benefit to be derived 

 from the previous clearing of successive crops of annual weeds, 

 most of which would have appeared among tlie grasses of an 

 earlier sowing. 



The danger of an autumn sowing mainly concerns the 

 clovers. Young grasses, especially of the coarser varieties, Avill 

 stand much winter cold with impunity. Not so with clovers, 

 although when established they also will endure severe weatlier 

 luiharmed. But in a young state, a wet cold winter will ahnost 

 certainly make an end of them. A retentive soil will foster a 

 magnificent pasture containing plenty of clovers when once the 

 plants are established, and yet on such soils it will frecpiently 

 prove most difficult to establish clovers from a sowing of seed in 

 autumn. 



As to tlie best month for autumn sowimr, it must not be for- 

 gotten that grass seeds are peculiarly liable to be ' malted ' under 

 a burning sun when the ground is not moist enougii to keep the 

 plants going. A slight thunder shower upon a dry soil, followed 

 by scorching sunshine, is cpiite sufficient to do the miscliief, and 

 many failures of autumn-sown seeds are attributable to tliis cause 

 alone. Even when the failure is not total, it is a serious matter 

 if the finer grasses are killed and only the coarser varieties survive 

 For it is very difficult to get the finer sorts to take after tlie 

 stronger varieties have had a six months' start. As a consequence 

 the pasture may always be inferior in quality. 



Supposing, however, that tlie soil is not too dry, and is other- 

 wise in good condition, sowing in August is to be commended, 

 and the earlier the better. The plants will then have some chance 

 of becoming fairly established before winter sets in. The first 

 week in September is, in most seasons, the latest date at which a 



