SOWING GRASS SEED. 



The latter part of summer and early in fall is a 

 good season for sowing grass seed, excepting clover, 

 which in such cases should be sowed in March, as 

 soon as the snow is off. It is better to sow by the 

 tenth or twelfth of September, though it would 

 jinswer to sow later, if we have what is called a late 

 fall, that the grass may get a good start before 

 winter. 



In some late, warm falls, good success has attended 

 sowing grass seed as late as the latter part of 

 September, and even early in October ; but generally 

 there is a risk in sowing so late ; yet the risk should 

 be considered merely in the seed, and not in the 

 orop ; for if it fails, it may be ascertained in March, 

 in time for sowing and getting a pretty good crop 

 the same season. 



When grass seed is sowed the latter part of Sep- 

 tember, or at a later period, and early enough to 

 vegetate the season it is sowed, it is very liable to be 

 winterkilled, in an open, changeable winter. Some- 

 times the earth is covered with snow, and the winter 

 is regular, and the grass will not be killed. We 

 lately noticed some very stout grass, left at our office, 

 which was from seed sowed so late last fall, that it 

 had just started before winter. Yet it was not win- 

 terkilled. This may be considered an exception, 

 rather than a general result. 



Lands sowed to grass last spring, that have failed 

 from drought, may now be ploughed and re-sowed, 

 with a fair prospect for a full crop next season. 



Wet grass lands may be toji-dressed ; or, if very 

 uneven and full of weeds and wild grasses, plough 

 well, by completely inverting the sod, and laying the 

 furrow-slice smooth. Then manure, harrow thor- 

 oughly, to make fine tilth at the surface, sow grass 

 seed, work it in with a bush- harrow, and roll. Any 

 grass lands may be renovated in this way, if it is not 

 desirable to have a tilled crop intervene. 



As to the quantity of seed to the acre, there is a 

 wide difference in opinion. Some sow a peck of 

 herdsgrass to the acre, others a bushel ; and a few 

 sow less, making still wider extremes. When land 

 is in a high condition, and the season is favorable to 



promote its vegetation and growth, so as to cause it 

 to branch or tiller, eight or ten quarts of herdsgrass, 

 with redtop and clover, are sufhcient. Again, under 

 unfavorable circumstances, as to soil and season, a 

 bushel will hardly be aufhcient. 



We sow about half a bushel of herdsgrass to the 

 acre, and the same quantity of redtop, if it contains 

 as much chaff as usual. In some cases, redtop is 

 nearly clean seed, and a less quantity is required. 

 We sow two or three, or eight or ten pounds, of 

 clover to the acre, according to the quality of hay 

 desired. On rather dry land, where we would sow 

 the most clover, the other grasses will not succeed 

 so well as they do on wet lands, -where less clover is 

 required. 



With this amount of seed, on good land we can 

 raise two and' a half to three tons of hay to the 

 aero, at a single cutting, and of excellent quality, 

 and fine enough for any stock ; but with thin sowing 

 and a rank growth, to make a large crop, the hay 

 will be coarse. 



CATTLE SHOWS AND FAIRS. 



Massachusetts Horticultural Society, at their hall 

 in School Street, September, 18, 19, 20, and 21. 



New York State Agricultural Society, at Syracuse, 

 September 11, 12, and 13. Address by Professor 

 Johnston, of England. 



North American Pomological Convention, at Syra- 

 cuse, commencing September 14. 



Vermont Fruit- Grower's Convention, at Mont- 

 pelier, October 18. 



Worcester County Mechanics' Association, at Wor- 

 cester, commencing September 18. 



The Salem Mechanic Association, at Salem, Sep- 

 tember 25, and through the week. 



New Haven (Ct.) Horticultural Society, at New 

 Haven, September 25, 26, and 27. 



Worcester (Mass.) Agricultural Society, at Wor- 

 cester, September 20. ' 



Norfolk (Mass.) Agricultural Society, atDedham, 

 September 29. 



Berkshire (Mass.) Agricultui'al Society, at Pitts- 

 field, October 3 and 4. 



