CHAP. v. PREPARATIONS FOR SEEDING TO GRASS. 825 



and energy to put it into good order. The delay will prove tantalising, 

 but impatience is a bad husbandman, and the implements must be kept 

 going until a satisfactory finish is obtained. Few grass seeds will 

 grow at a greater depth than half an inch even in fine friable soil. In 

 cracks and fissures they will be utterly lost. Hence a sowing on 

 ground which is rough is foredoomed to partial or entire failure, and 

 the plants which do come will be the coarser varieties only. Tilth, 

 therefore, is all important. 



" Consolidation is equally important, for the young grasses cannot 

 obtain foothold upon a loose or hollow soil. In such a case it is 

 impossible to secure a perfect plant ; and here again the finer sorts will 

 fail. It is no unusual thing to see a capital plant of grass all round 

 the headlands of a newly sown field, while the centre is thin or bare. 

 The explanation is simply this : the greater traffic over the headlands 

 created a firmer seed-bed for the grasses than was made for them 

 elsewhere. 



" Even after the land has been fully prepared for the seeds, it will be 

 all the better if allowed to lie untouched for a few days before sowing ; 

 but if the season is advanced waiting may be dangerous. Otherwise 

 the delay offers two advantages. It allows the soil further time to 

 settle down, and also gives the annual weeds a chance to start, so that 

 by a final turn of the harrow they may be killed before the grass seeds 

 are sown. Annual weeds, unfortunately, are sure to come only too 

 plentifully, and will demand constant attention when grass seeds are 

 sown without a corn crop in spring. 



" As a preparation for autumn sowing, no other crop is equal to an 

 early variety of potato. The earthing up of the rows exposes a great 

 surface to atmospheric influences, and this materially aids the disinte- 

 gration of the soil. Another point in its favour is that the crop is 

 generally lifted by hand, and thus the soil is subjected to a course of 

 spade husbandry, which, as a preparation for grass, is superior to all 

 other modes of cultivation. When digging the crop the benefit may 

 be further augmented by instructing the labourers to fork up and throw 

 aside every bit of couch they come across. This will very effectually 

 assist the cleaning process. The only objection to sowing immediately 

 after potatoes is the difficulty of consolidating the land ; but by 

 planting a first early variety, such as Field Ashleaf or Early Regent, 

 the crop can be marketed early in July, and before the grass seeds are 

 sown in August a persistent use of the harrow and roller will do much 

 to make a firm seed-bed." 



It is sometimes necessary that land be laid away to grass at the 

 earliest possible moment, whether in a fit condition for the purpose or 

 not. " One of the commonest instances is that of a clover ley which is 

 wanted as a permanent pasture. There is a natural feeling of reluct- 

 ance to break up the clover plant, and the hope is indulged that grass 

 seeds will " take " upon it. The objections to this course are many and 

 serious, although they are not always insurmountable. Possibly 

 indigenous weeds have already such a hold of the ground as to afford 

 very little chance of the grasses making headway against them. But 



