266 MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS. 



fulness of our opinion. Of one thing we are certain, and 

 that is, that in following nature by a large admixture of 

 species, we will get much quicker, and with but a small in- 

 creased cost, a close firm turf or sward on both meadows and 

 pastures. Some will say if we follow nature we ought to 

 sow only those grasses that are natural to the soil. But it 

 must be remembered that if this rule was observed we 

 would deprive ourselves of the advantage of acquiring all 

 those improved kinds found elsewhere. We would have no 

 timothy or herds grass or blue grass, but only those kinds 

 that may have been brought by winds or floods, or dropped 

 by birds, and often seeds are brought in these ways that are 

 not specially adapted to the soils where accident brings 

 them. On the contrary, it should be the aim of every man 

 to use his best endeavors to grasp that which is good, and 

 improve that which he has. He should not hesitate to try 

 everything that comes with a good character, and if he is 

 deceived now and then, yet he sometimes gets a rich reward 

 for his labor and expense. 



TIMES AND MANNER OF SOWING. 



Up to 1810 the almost invariable rule among all farmers 

 was to sow grass seeds in the Spring of the year on crops 

 of grain. Since that time the practice has changed to a 

 great extent, and while some still adhere to Spring sowing, 

 the great majority of farmers sow in the early fall. Some 

 few sow grass alone, but the most of them sow with some 

 kind of grain. There are many who contend it is much 

 better to sow alone, as the half crop that will be harvested 

 the next year is fully equivalent to the value of the grain 

 crop, while if the two are sown together, they both work 

 injuriously on each other. The stand of grass is injured, 

 and the yield of grain is diminished. With all that, the 

 general custom is to sow on grain fields, and wait until the 

 second year for hay. Those who contend for the latter way, 

 say, if the grass is sown alone it will be so delicate the first 



