MODE OF SOWING. 103 



i 



of manure sufficient for the requirements of this and of 

 the succeeding straw crop. 



Clover, whether grown by itself or mixed with grass 

 seeds, is invariably sown down with the straw crop, 

 so that when the latter crop is harvested the young 

 clover has full access to air and light, and is able to 

 get well rooted in the soil before the winter sets in. The 

 usual time for sowing is during the month of April ; if got 

 in earlier the plants are apt to make too much growth, 

 and either get drawn up into tall spindly plants, or to 

 get so strong at the bottom as to interfere with the harvest 

 operations of the straw crop. If the sowing be delayed 

 later than April, the straw crop is generally so far ad- 

 vanced as to render it very difficult to get the seeds properly 

 in, while the growing crop is sure to be more or less in- 

 jured by the operation. When sown down with barley 

 or oats, it is desirable that the plant should be well up 

 and have a good start before the seeds are sown ; indeed, 

 it would be well to delay the sowing until the crop had 

 been hoed, by which you would not only prepare a suit- 

 able seed-bed for the clover, but also secure the young 

 plants from being overpowered by the weeds, which 

 generally are of a more vigorous habit, and tenaciously 

 keep possession of the soil. In all cases where seeds are 

 intended to be sown with the grain crops, it is most im- 

 portant that the drills should be wider apart than the 

 usual practice. From 6 to 9 inches may perhaps be taken 

 as the usual width of drills with our grain crops ; if this 

 were increased to from 9 to 1 2 inches, it would admit more 

 freely of the use of the hoe ; the produce per acre would 

 not be lessened, while its quality would probably be greatly 

 improved, and at the same time the young clover plant 

 would get more access to light and air, and assume a 

 more healthy and vigorous growth. 



The quantity of seed sown depends very much upon 



