CULTUKAL PBEPARATIONS. 19 



autumn, in either case the plough .should be put into the ground 

 the moment it is at liberty. This first ploughing must be deep 

 and thorough, and should be quickly followed by another plough- 

 ing to lay the land up rough for the winter. In February, or as 

 early as the land is workable, get the harrow and the roller upon 

 it until the seed-bed is fine, firm, and leveL A tenacious soil, 

 which dries off lumpy, may involve the expenditure of much time 

 and energy to put it into good order. The delay will prove- 

 tantalising, but impatience is a bad husbandman, and the imple- 

 ments must be kept going until a satisfactory finish is obtained., 

 It should be more generally known that few grass seeds will grow 

 at a greater depth than half an inch even in fine friable soil. In 

 cracks and fissures they will be utterly lost. Hence a sowing on 

 ground which is rough is foredoomed to partial or entire failure, 

 and the plants which do come will be the coarser varieties 

 only. 



Consolidation is equally important, for the young grasses 

 cannot obtain foothold upon a loose or hollow soil. In such a 

 case it is impossible to secure a perfect plant ; and here again the 

 finer sorts will fail. It is no unusual thing to see a capital plant 

 of grass all round the headlands of a newly-sown field, while 

 the centre is thin or bare. The explanation is simply this : the 

 greater traffic over the headlands created a firmer seed-bed foi* 

 the grasses than was made for them elsewhere. 



Even after the land has been fully prepared for the seeds, it 

 will be all the better if allowed to lie untouched for a few days 

 before sowing ; but if the season is advanced waiting may be 

 dangerous. Otherwise the delay ofiers two advantages. It allows 

 the soil further time to settle down, and also gives the annual 

 weeds a chance to start, so that by a final turn of the harrow 

 they may be killed before the grass seeds are sown. Annual 

 weeds, unfortunately, are sure to come only too plentifully, 

 and will demand constant attention when grass seeds are sown 

 without a corn crop in spring. 



As a preparation for autumn sowing, no other crop is equal 



*C 2 



