84 PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



speedily recovers its verdure after rain, but young grasses can- 

 not endure so fiery an ordeal. 



The assistance rendered in checking weeds is another benefit 

 derived from a corn crop. To appreciate its value, compare 

 one of the finer grasses with some weed growing near, and then 

 say whether the delicate stripling has any chance of resisting 

 its masterful neighbour. Of course the annual weeds will die 

 out by-and-by, but in the meantime almost every one of them 

 will destroy some grass plants. It follows that the more 

 abundant the weeds the thinner will be the pasture, and until 

 the grasses tiller out and cover the ground the crop will be 

 proportionately small. Unfortunately, too, both drought and 

 weeds prove more injurious to the smaller than to the coarser 

 grasses. The fact that corn assists in the battle against both foes 

 is quite sufiicient to account for the very general practice of 

 sowing permanent grass seeds with a corn crop. Still it must be 

 admitted that corn does not keep down weeds so effectually as 

 the constant use of the scythe over land that has been sown 

 with grass seeds alone. 



Upon the pecuniary value of the corn it is needless to say 

 one word. Such an inducement cannot be overlooked. This 

 consideration would as a rule sufiice to settle the question, even 

 if the grasses were pretty certain to suiTer, which is happily not 

 the case. 



Of course a corn crop will levy the usual tax upon the land, 

 and it should be clearly understood that the grasses are not to 

 sustain the loss. A liberal top-dressing of cake-fed manure must 

 be applied after the corn is cut, which will compensate the grass 

 for what the corn has taken away. 



One point is of utmost consequence if corn is not to injure the 

 coming pasture, and this is the necessity of a very light seeding 

 of corn. A heavy crop is harmful in itself, and involves further 

 danger when it becomes laid. On the spots where a heavy crop 

 is lodged the grass will almost certainly be killed outright, and 

 the slight additional gain derived from a full seeding of corn will 



