CHAPTER VII 

 SOWING PASTURE SEEDS 



Protective Crops 



General Considerations. — Not only does a protective crop shield the 

 young pasture from the evil effects of drought, frost and wind, but it profitably 

 utilises the soil while the grasses and leguminous plants develop, and renders 

 great assistance by keeping weeds in check until the young pasture plants are 

 sufficiently strong to successfully contest the ground with them. If the seeds 

 be sown without a protective cereal, a costly process of weeding is usually 

 necessary to remove noxious species which are propagated principally by 

 their roots, the annual seed-producing kinds being, of course, readily destroyed 

 by an occasional mowing with a scythe, an operation of great benefit to the 

 young grasses. It follows, therefore, that a protecting crop is desirable in all 

 cases, excepting perhaps for the formation of ornamental swards. In the 

 interests of the future pasture, it is much preferable to cut a cereal for green 

 fodder than to permit it to mature for the production of grain or straw, because 

 the necessary protection is thus afforded without shading the pasture plants 

 too long and without taking so much out of the land. The choice of corn 

 must naturally to some extent be controlled by the character of the land. 



Thickness of Sowing. — Thick seeding with a cereal is directly 

 injurious, as the plants tiller out and occupy the space which should be 

 devoted to the grasses and clovers ; besides which, the heavier the sowing, 

 so much the greater is the danger and loss to be apprehended from the 

 crop being laid. Indeed, it is absolutely essential to the success of a pasture 

 that any protective cereal be sown thinly only ; and this is especially so in 

 the case of winter corn in which a mixture is to be sown in spring. Not 

 more than half the usual quantity of Barley should be used, though greater 

 proportions of other cereals may be employed. 



Cereals to Cut Green. — Of all spring-sown protective crops, Oats, to 

 be cut green, are most to be preferred, because they do not occupy the land 

 too long when cultivated in this way, while, if properly managed, they give a 

 good supply of excellent green fodder. By taking the first cutting when the 

 crop is not more than 6 or 7 inches in height, all risk of injury to the grasses 

 and clovers is obviated ; a second and considerable crop of green fodder is 

 obtained from the Oats ; and a third and final cutting may be taken in 

 autumn from the young pasture plants. 



Summer bearded Wheat is sometimes sown to shelter young pastures and 

 supply abundant green fodder ; but as it springs oftener and continues 



