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are prodncino- an inferior quality of hay for this reason. In many cases 

 such areas can be converted into very profitable mowings if they be first 

 drained. A considerable portion of the 9-aere field in Amherst to which 

 reference has been made was of this character, and the methods of 

 improvement adopted here will be first discussed. 



Drainage of Land to be used for Moiving. — Partial drainage by means 

 of open ditches will in many cases greatly improve the character of the 

 herbage produced in land which is natui'ally wet, but the only thoroughly 

 satisfactory method of imjirovement is tile drainage. Many no doubt 

 hesitate to undertake tile drainage through fear of inability to carry out 

 the work properly ; others are detei'red from undertaking it because of 

 the cost. The limits of this article will not permit a full description 

 of the methods to be followed in underdrainage ; but the operation, 

 unless the location is such as to ofter unusual difficulties, is not very 

 difficult, and no farmer of ordinary capacity need hesitate to undertake 

 it ; and the cost, while considerable, will prove a profitable investment, 

 provided the work is carefully done. Many a tract of land in the State, 

 at present producing a crop of swale hay, and which for the production 

 of such hay is worth possibly f 20 to if25 an acre, can at an expenditure 

 of 15' » to $60 per acre be made to return a good income on a valuation of 

 from .$150 to $200. 



Prejiaralion of the Soil for Grass. — The fact that very thorough and 

 careful tillage in preparation for crops of all kinds is usually profitable 

 is increasingly appreciated in recent years ; and Mr. Clark must be 

 credited with having done much good in emphasizing the desirability 

 and profitableness of thorough preparation of the soil for grass. When 

 practicable, it seems to be best to plow land which is to be seeded to grass 

 some weeks previous to sowing the seed and to give sufiicient shallow 

 tillage by means of harrows to bring the surface into a thoroughly fine 

 and mellow condition. If seeding is to be done in the spring, it will in 

 most cases be best to plow in the fall and to complete the pre])aration in 

 the spring by the use of such harrows as are adapted to the conditions. 

 The disc harrows are very valuable in sod land and in working strawy 

 manures under, but the final preparation should be given by the use of 

 harrows which do not work as deep, and whic^h leave the soil smooth. 

 The Acme harrow is a good implement to follow the disc, while the 

 smoothing harrow is almost always best for the final preparation of the 

 soil for seed. The best condition for the growth of the grass in most 

 soils is obtained by plowing sufficiently long before seeding to permit 

 the soil to settle somewhat, so that when the seed is sown the soil shall 

 be moderately compact underneath, and light and mellow to the depth 

 of a few inches only. "When breaking up an old mowing and reseeding 

 without the introduction of a hoed crop, it is best to plow the land as 

 soon as convenient after the first crop of hay is harvested, and then har- 

 row sufficiently often to keep down all weeds and to maintain the surface 

 in mellow condition until the proper time for sowing the seed arrives. 

 In the case of the experiment station mowing, to which reference has 

 already been made and which is referred to again later in this article, 

 the first crop of hay was harvested Jiine 25. The land was plowed on 



