106 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



tlie best results probably are secured by spreading it in 

 the fall and also in the early winter. It then acts as a 

 protecting mulch, and since the soluble portions w^-'h 

 down into the surface of the soil and are taken up toy 

 the grass roots, the result is a free and abundant growth 

 of grass. ISTor does the manure when thus applied affect 

 injuriously the palatability of the grass. This it does 

 to some extent, if applied after the grass has made much 

 growth in the spring. 



Commercial fertilizers are seldom applied to blue 

 grass pastures and chiefly for the reason that they can- 

 not be spared for such a use. In other words, it is con- 

 sidered more necessary to use them for other crops. But 

 shotild the circumstances justify the application, the 

 growth of the grass may be much stimulated by their use. 

 The needs of the soil should determine the fertilizer to be 

 used. Usually nitrogen may be applied with advantage 

 in the spring after growth has begim. One or two dress- 

 ings may be given as necessary, with an interval of sev- 

 eral weeks between them. On nearly all soils blue grass 

 will be benefited by dressing it with phosphates fall and 

 spring, and the same is true of dressings of potash. The 

 increased grov/th from dressing with wood ashes is also 

 marked. 



Blue grass will, on certain soils, come into the mead- 

 ows and pastures to the extent of finally crowding out 

 the grasses composing them, without having been sown 

 in the same, unless by the hand of nature. This it will 

 do under all or nearly all conditions quite favorable to 

 its growth. For instance, where timothy and clover are 

 sown and cut for two or three successive seasons for 



