TOO FEW SPECIES. 273 



that in our modes of sowing and covering there must 

 be a great loss of seed from burying too deep, though 

 the depth should be governed somewhat by the nature 

 of the soil, as its usual moisture or dryness. 



I have already expressed my opinion that we limit 

 our mixtures to too few species, thus failing to arrive at 

 the most profitable results ; and have said that in a piece 

 of land seeded with one or two favorite grasses only, small 

 vacant spaces will be found, which, in the aggregate, will 

 diminish very considerably the yield of an acre, even 

 though they may be so small as not to be perceived. 

 It might be thought that this could be avoided by put- 

 ting into the ground a very large number of seeds. 

 But a knowledge of the quantities of seed ordinarily 

 used for sowing, and an inquiry as to the number of 

 plants necessary to cover the ground with a thick coat- 

 ing of grass, will show that this is not the case. 



I have in my possession letters from some of the 

 best farmers in various parts of the country, in which 

 they state it to be the prevailing practice to sow a 

 bushel of red top, a half-bushel of Timothy, and from 

 four to six pounds of red clover, to the acre. Some of 

 them vary the proportions a little, as by the use of one 

 peck of Timothy and a larger quantity of clover; but 

 the general practice is to use nearly the quantities 

 stated, some even using a considerably larger quantity. 

 Now, if we examine the table, we shall find that in an 

 ounce of redtop-seed there are 425,000 grains ; in a 

 pound, there are over 6,000,000 seeds ; in a bushel, or 

 twelve pounds, there are over 80,000,000 seeds. Now = 

 suppose the farmer takes only one peck of Timothy- 

 seed to mix with it. In an ounce of Timothy grass-seed 

 there are 74,000 grains. In a pound there are over 

 1,000,000 grains. In eleven pounds, or a peck, there 

 are over 13,000,000 seeds ; and, if we take but four 



