84 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



It is well known that when timothy is sown in the 

 fall with grain it does not make a crop the next year. 

 But it is not so well known, especially in the Middle 

 West, that when timothy is sown in late summer or 

 early fall without a nurse crop it makes the best crop 

 of its life the next year. In this case clover should 

 be sown at the same time as the timothy, but there 

 are doubtless large areas in Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, 

 and perhaps also in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where 

 clover would winter-kill when sown in this manner. 

 Since this method is so successful in the Eastern States 

 it might be well for Western farmers to try it more ex- 

 tensively. Oat-stubble would be particularly adapted 

 for this purpose, as the grass and clover could be sown 

 after oats early enough to get a good start before win- 

 ter. If the method proves satisfadtorj' it would enable 

 the timothy grower to dispense with wheat in the ro- 

 tation, particularly where wheat is grown mainly to 

 have a place in the rotation to sow timothy. 



In New England, New York, and Pennsylvania 

 three methods of starting timothy are in vogue. Many 

 farmers use the method described above — namely, of 

 seeding the timothy in the fall with wheat or rye, 

 adding clover in early spring. Both East and West 

 the time chosen for sowing clover in this manner is in 

 verj' early spring, at a time when the ground is lightly 

 frozen and cracked " honeycomb " fashion. The seed 

 falls, or is blown, into these cracks, and is thus cov- 

 ered when the ground thaws. This is usually in late 

 February or early March. 



Another method, used extensively by the most 

 progressive farmers, is to sow all the grass and clover 



