256 MANAGEMENT OF MEADOWS. 



germinated. This would not be the case in the soil where, 

 as the German adage has it — 



"One seed is sown for yourself, 

 One seed sown for the Devil, 

 One seed sown for the birds, 

 And one for the stranger.' 1 



There will be, with the ordinary plan of sowing, a dif- 

 ference of depth of covering, some below the point of ger- 

 mination, some where only one-half come up, some on the 

 surface, and these last are exposed to frosts, sun and birds. 

 Besides, practically, it is impossible to get sound seeds 

 throughout a whole purchase. 



In one acre of ground there are 6,128,640 square inches. 

 In the table given, it will be seen there are in a square foot 

 of a rich old pasture 1,000 plants, or on an average, of 

 about seven plants to the square inch. Now, to make due 

 allowances for all the mishaps of seeds, it will be necessary 

 to put on the ground not less than 60,000,000 seeds to 

 secure seven plants to the square inch, for the number of 

 square incEes multiplied by seven, will make to the acre 

 43,908,480 plants. Some will say that if too many seeds 

 are sown they will choke each othen That is precisely the 

 case, and that is why it may not be feared to do so, for 

 after all the choking is finished, enough are lift to cover the 

 ground, and the object in view is obtained. Sinclair, one 

 of the most trustworthy agricultural writers, says on the 

 point of overseeding: "When an excess of grass seed is 

 sown, the seed, in general, all vegetate ; but the plants 

 make but little, if any progress, until, from want of nour- 

 ishment to the roots, and the confined space for the growth 

 of foliage, a certain number decays and gives the requisite 

 room to the proper number of plants; and that will be ac- 

 cording as there are a greater or less variety of different 

 species of grasses combined in the sward." 



Such a mixture should be made in the sowings as if one 

 species fail another will take hold. Nor is it proper to sow 



