SOWING GRASS SEEDS. 87 



grass seeds. Thus an autumn sowing becomes imperative. 

 Having reached this conckision, it is satisfactory to remember 

 that in addition to the chance it affords of making a thoroughly- 

 sound seed-bed, the temperature of the land in autumn is highly 

 favourable to the germination of grass seeds, particularly in the 

 North of England. There is also the further benefit to be derived 

 from the previous clearing of successive crops of annual vreeds, 

 most of which would have appeared among the grasses of an 

 earlier sowing. 



The danger of an autumn sowing mainly concerns the 

 clovers. Young grasses, especially of the coarser varieties, will 

 stand much winter cold with impunity. Not so with clovers, 

 although when established they also will endure severe weather 

 unharmed. But in a young state, a wet cold winter will almost 

 certainly make an end of them. A retentive soil will foster a 

 magnificent pasture containing plenty of clovers when once the 

 plants are established, and yet on such soils it will frequently 

 prove most difiicult to establish clovers from a sowing of seed in 

 autumn. 



As to the best month for autumn sowing, it must not be for- 

 gotten that grass seeds are peculiarly liable to be ' malted ' under 

 a burning sun when the ground is not moist enough to keep the 

 plants going. A shght thunder shower upon a dry soil, followed 

 by scorching sunshine, is quite sufficient to do the mischief, and 

 many failures of autumn-sown seeds are attributable to this cause 

 alone. Even when the failure is not total, it is a serioiis matter 

 if the finer grasses are kUled and only the coarser varieties survive. 

 For it is very difficult to get the finer sorts to take after the 

 stronger varieties have had a six months' start. As a consequence 

 the pasture may always be inferior in quahty. 



Supposing, however, that the soil is not too dry, and is other- 

 wise in good condition, sowing in August is to be commended, 

 and the earlier the better. The plants will then have some chance 

 of becoming fairly estabhshed before winter sets in. The first 

 week in September is, in most seasons, the latest date at which a 



