440 



MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



Testing seed. 



In testing the seed for germination power and 

 purity it is more satisfactory to weigh out a sample 

 of the seed, separate the chaff and inert matter, 

 weigh it, and then proceed to malce a germination 

 test of the remainder. For example, if a sample of 

 awnless hrome grass contain 10 per cent of dirt 

 and chaff, and 75 per cent of the pure seeds are 

 viable, the actual germination power of the sample 

 is 67.5 per cent, or 



100 ~^^-^ 



Mixing seed. 



It is important that each kind of seed be pur- 

 chased separately in order to permit an examina- 

 tion for purity. When satisfied that the seeds are 

 as desired, the different ones may be mixed for 



Fie. 669. Wide-moutli engine truck, swivel and reversible 

 steel track carrier for hay fork. 



seeding. It is desirable that seeds which are of a 

 similar size and character should be mixed and 

 sown together ; for example, it is much better to 

 mix timothy seed with any clover which is being 

 sown, provided that both are being sown at the 

 same time, than to mix it with chaffy seeds, such 

 as Kentucky blue-grass, meadow fescue or orchard- 

 grass. If there are two compartments on the seed 

 barrow, then clover and timothy should be mixed 

 and sown in one, and the chaffy seeds, such as 

 meadow fescue, Kentucky blue-grass, orchard-grass, 

 rye-grass, should be sown in the other compart- 

 ment. Awnless brome grass is better sown by itself, 

 since it requires different treatment. It not only 

 requires much larger holes in the seed drill or 

 barrow, but it is necessary to cover it much better 

 than most of the other grass seeds. 



In mixing, take the seed of which there is the 

 greatest bulk and empty it on a tight floor, a good 

 cement barn floor or something of a similar nature 

 being desirable ; empty the next largest quantity 

 on top, and so on, putting the seed of which there 



is the least amount on the top of the pile ; with 

 scoop-shovels proceed to turn over the pile, putting 

 it on a new base. A skilful man will give the 

 shovel a twist by a mere turn of the wrist which 

 will insure very good mixing of the different seeds. 

 When the bulk of the pile has been made on the 

 new site, the remaining seeds should be swept 

 toward the new pile and the operation repeated. 

 Four or five turnings will probably be necessary to 

 secure a complete blending of the different seeds, 

 and the process should be continued until a perfect 

 mixture has been secured. 



Examples of seed mixtures which would furnish 

 20,000,000 seeds, and the weight of same : 



For hay and fall pasture. 

 duration. 



No. of 



Timothy 13,400,000 



Alsike 3,300,000 



White clover .... 3,300,000 



Heavy land. Short 



• Weight of 

 pure, via- 

 ble seed. 

 Lbs. 



20,000,000 



For hay and pasture. 



Timothy 10,000,000 



Kentucky blue-grass . 2,000,000 

 Orchard-grass .... 1,400,000 



Alsike 3,300,000 



White clover .... 3,300,000 



11.44 

 4.66 

 4.46 



20.56 



8.54 

 0.82 

 2.42 

 4.66 

 4.46 



20,000,000 20.90 



For hay and pasture. 



Timothy 8,000,000 



Kentucky blue-grass . 2,400,000 



Orchard-grass .... 2,000,000 



Meadow foxtail . . . 1,000,000 



Alsike 3,300,000 



White clover .... 3,300,000 



6.84 

 1.00 

 3.46 

 1.10 

 4.66 

 4.46 



20,000,000 21.52 

 For hay. Heavy loam. 



Red clover 2,790,000' 10.00 



Alsike 2,121,000 3.00 



Timothy '7,089,000 6.06 



Red-top 8,000,000 1.32 



20,000,000 20.38 



For pasture, for two years' duration, the Ontario 

 Agricultural College sows per acre : 7 lbs. red 

 clover, 2 lbs. alsike clover, 4 lbs. timothy, 5 lbs. 

 orchard-grass. If wanted for hay, the orchard- 

 grass is omitted. 



For permanent pasture the same authorities 

 advise : 4 lbs. orchard-grass, 4 lbs. meadow fescue, 

 3 lbs. tall oat-grass, 2 lbs. timothy, 2 lbs. meadow 

 foxtail, 5 lbs. alfalfa, 2 lbs. alsike clover, 2 lbs. 

 white clover, making 24 lbs. per acre in all. 



For wet land in New England for meadow, 

 L. R. Jones, of Vermont, suggests, per acre, 10 lbs. 

 timothy, 6 lbs. alsike clover, 4 lbs. recleaned red- 

 top, 10 lbs. fowl meadow-grass, in chaff. Sow in 

 midsummer without a nurse crop. 



For meadow in a shady place, the same authority 

 suggests, per acre, 1 bus. orchard-grass, 6 lbs. tim- 

 othy, 3 lbs. meadow fescue or Kentucky blue-grass, 



