94 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



SOWING GRASS SEEDS. As a general rule grass seeds do 

 best when sown early in the spring, on a fine tilth or mellow 

 soil. If this is done while the frost is leaving the ground, 

 no harrowing will be necessary, as the spring rains wash 

 the seed into the honey-comb left by the frost, and secure to 

 it an early germination. They are also successfully sown 

 in August or September, when the fall rains will generally 

 give them sufficient growth to withstand the effects of the 

 succeeding winter, if the land be free from standing or sur- 

 face water. It has recently been the practice of many judi- 

 cious farmers, to renovate their old worn out meadows, by 

 giving them a coating of unfermented manure, and then turn 

 the sod completely over. On the surface thus plowed, a 

 dressing of well rotted manure or compost with ashes, is 

 spread and thoroughly harrowed lengthwise of the furrows. 

 The seed is then sown and slightly harrowed in, and the 

 decomposing manure and the stubble and roots of the sod 

 give an immediate and luxuriant growth. Grain may occupy 

 the land with the grass seed ; but if the latter be sown alone 

 and sufficiently thick, the young plants will exclude the weeds 

 and occupy the soil as profitably as can be done with the 

 grain. There is usually a great deficiency of grass seed 

 sown when permanent meadows or pastures are required. 

 The English method is to mix together and sow on a single 

 acre, without any grain, 4 or 5 bushels of various seeds 

 which are the best adapted to the purpose. A quick and 

 full growth rapidly covers the surface with a rich herbage, 

 surpassing in value that of the best natural pastures or 

 meadows. 



LANDS THAT SHOULD BE KEPT IN PERPETUAL GRASS, 

 are such as are frequently under water, as salt and fresh 

 water meadows ; such as are liable to overflow, as the rich 

 bottom or interval lands upon a river bank ; heavy tena- 

 cious clays and mountain or steep hill side land, which is 

 peculiarly liable to wash from rains. The low bottom lands 

 generally receive one or more annual dressings from the over- 

 flowing waters. The fertilizing matters thus deposited are 

 converted into hay, and become a reliable source for increas- 

 ing the muck heap for other parts of the farm without deman- 

 ding any thing in return. The thick sward of nutricious 

 grasses which nature has so lavishly supplied to them, is an 

 effectual protection against abrasion and waste from the 

 overflowing water, while the crop if at any time submerged, 

 can receive comparatively little injury. If plowed and the 



