IMMEDIATE AFTER-MANAGEMENT OF NEW PASTURES 95 



narrow hand-hoe, and for the sake of the future of the pasture 

 it is well worth while to give these strong-growing weeds 

 early and persistent attention. Thistles can be eradicated 

 by repeatedly chopping them off near to the ground with 

 an old scythe until they bleed to death. 



Should it be found by the middle of May that the grass has 

 failed, no time must be lost in shallow-ploughing or cultivating 

 the land, breaking it down again into fine tilth, and re-sowing. 

 Supposing, however, that the seed has taken o\er the main area, 

 lea^'ing some bare spots, these must have their crust broken 

 with a hoe, followed by a heavy rake, and be re-so^n, raked over, 

 and again rolled down. AVhen the plots which ha\'e missed 

 plant are too large for hand work, the harrow can be employed 

 instead of the hoe and rake. It will ne^er do to assume that 

 the crop is all right. Rather assume that it is not perfect until 

 examination has shown the contrary. 



Grasses and clovers sown with corn should not be allowed 

 to suffer injury from thistles and other coarse weeds. The 

 destruction of these pests is necessary for the corn, and is 

 imperative for the success of the gi-asses. Immediately the 

 corn is off the ground the whole field should be carefully 

 examined to ascertain whether there is a plant or not. After 

 a wet harvest there will be no difficulty in deciding promptly. 

 But in a dry season I do not advocate a hasty judgment. 

 The dry stubble, the parched ground, and the brown herbage 

 all help to mislead. A few hours of warm soaking rain may 

 put a new complexion on an old face in so brief a time as 

 to produce an almost magical effect, and therefore it is not 

 wise to be in too great a hurry to pronounce upon success or 

 failure. More than one instance has come to my knowledge 

 where a spring sowing of permanent grasses has been followed 

 by a dry summer, and on cutting the corn scarcely any grass 

 was visible. A top-dressing of four hundredweight of bones 

 and superphosphate per acre was apphed with such good effect 

 that in the following summer a heavy crop of hay was cut. 



