g CIRCULAR 491, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



ARTIFICIAL RESEEDING 



Nature's slow methods of reclaiming abandoned land may be 

 greatly improved and hastened by artificial methods based on thor- 

 ough knowledge of the natural spreading habits of the adapted 

 species, and by taking full advantage of favorable moisture condi- 

 tions. These statements are supported by the reports of Hanson 

 (31), Nelson (46), Williams (72, 73), Wilson (74), and Wooton 

 (75). 



PREPARATION FOR SPRING SEEDING 



Where the land is subject to severe erosion, it may be advisable 

 to construct terraces or contour furrows as the first operation in 

 preparing for grass seeclings. 



Optimum conditions desired in a seedbed for grass include plenti- 

 ful supplies of surface and subsoil moisture, fine, firm soil, and 

 sufficient noncompetitive surface residue from previous crops to 

 control soil blowing and reduce surface evaporation. This ideal 

 combination of conditions is difficult and often impossible to obtain 

 in blow regions. Summer fallow is usually dependable in providing 

 the subsurface moisture, but is seldom safe because of its suscepti- 

 bility to wind erosion. Since stands of grass can be established 

 throughout most of the region only after minimizing the hazard 

 of wind erosion, it seems advisable first to grow a close-drilled crop 

 of Sudan grass or sorghum. Although these crops may exhaust 

 the subsoil moisture, their stubble serves to reduce wind erosion and 

 retards rapid drying of the surface soil. Current precipitation after 

 the Sudan grass or sorghum crop has stopped growth may or may 

 not be sufficient to provide the necessary moisture, but this risk must 

 be taken. Except under especially favorable moisture conditions, 

 failure is almost certain to result from grass seedings on land not 

 protected by stubble or special tillage. 



Sudan grass usually is -preferred to kafir, sorgo, milo, and other 

 sorghums as a preparation for seeding perennial pasture grasses the 

 following spring. Sudan grass often recovers faster and more com- 

 pletely from mowing or grazing, tillers more freely at the base, and 

 leaves a denser stubble than other sorghums, although seed of the 

 others is often cheaper. If sorghum is used, it probably should be 

 sown at rates varying from 30 to 50 pounds per acre. A satisfactory 

 seeding rate for Sudan grass ranges from 15 to 20 pounds to the 

 acre. These preparatory crops are more certain to provide a satis- 

 factory stubble cover when sown in May or June than later in the 

 year. 



Sudan grass may be drilled on smooth, clean land in the ordinary 

 manner. Where a rough surface is desired for the control of run-off 

 and erosion, drilling on the contour on terraced or nonterraced 

 sloping land or at right angles to the prevailing wind direction on 

 level land would undoubtedly result in improved growth of the 

 preparatory crop and of the subsequently seeded grasses. Land pre- 

 pared in advance by solid furrowing on the contour, with a basin 

 lister or ordinary lister, may be sown to the preparatory crop by 

 drilling parallel with the furrows. This will tear down and some- 

 what level the ridges but leave the land sufficiently rough to f acili- 



