GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 35 



grass seeds in the ordinary way. For tke further dis- 

 cussion of this question see page 180 in the book "For- 

 age Crops Other than G-rasses," written by the author. 



Sowing Grasses Alone or in Combinations. — Whether 

 any kind of grass should be sown alone or along with 

 other grasses depends upon the object, or objects, for 

 which it is grown ; and also on the degree of its adapta- 

 tion to the locality. 



When any variety is grown for seed it is usually sown 

 alone, but in some few instances certain varieties may be 

 sown in combination even when seed is sought. Tim- 

 othy is frequently sown with medium red clover. The 

 year after sowing the seed the crop is cut once, and in 

 some instances twice, for hay. During several subse- 

 quent and successive seasons it may be practicable to 

 harvest the timothy for seed. But to growing grasses 

 together for seed there is the strong objection, first, that 

 they produce seed less perfectly when grown thus, be- 

 cause of the thick growth produced by mixtures ; second, 

 that in many instances they do not ripen their seeds at 

 the same time ; and third, that it would prove a difiicult, 

 if not, indeed, an impossible, task to separate many 

 kinds of seeds when thus harvested together, they are 

 so nearly alike in size. 



When grown for hay it is common to sow grasses in 

 mixtures and these mixtures frequently contain also 

 the seeds of certain of the clovers. These mixtures usual- 

 ly yield more and produce hay of finei- growth than 

 when sown alone. But when sowing two or more va- 

 rieties together it is usually better to select those which 

 mature about the same time, that they may be bar- 



