30 CIRCULAR NO. 115, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 
As it was not used in a pure seeding, it is uncertain whether its 
failure was due to the nature of the soil or to the competition with 
the more vigorously growing brome-grass. 
In mixture No. 3 western wheat-grass and alfalfa have done well 
and show a good covering three years after planting. No doubt 
brome-grass would do as well as western wheat-grass in mixtures 
with alfalfa under most conditions; and it can be used more exten- 
sively, since the seed is more easily obtained. 
Mixture No. + made a good showing during the first and second 
years, but has not proved permanent. The redtop, however, still 
survives hear the water’s edge. 
PREPARATION OF SOIL AND SEEDING. 
In order to insure a successful growth of grass it is necessary to 
have the soil in as favorable a condition as possible. There must be 
a well-prepared seed bed—the soil should be fine, firm, and moist— 
in order to insure a quick and continuous growth of the grass. A 
good preparation is to harrow the canal bank at frequent intervals 
during one summer, so as to prevent the growth of weeds and con- 
serve as much moisture ‘as possible. This will put the soil in good 
condition for seeding early the following spring. 
The seed may be sown broadcast by hand, or, in case a large area 
is to be seeded, a hand seeder may be used to advantage. The soil 
should be harrowed before seeding and the seed covered by harrow- 
ing again after seeding. In covering the seed, the harrow teeth 
should be set at a shght angle, so as not to dig too deeply. A com- 
mon 2-horse steel harrow is convenient for this “work 
From 15 to 30 pounds of seed per acre, depending upon the kind 
of seed and the condition of the seed bed, should be enough to secure 
a good stand of grass. Any heavier rate of seeding will hardly com- 
pensate for poor soil conditions. The smaller seeds, such as redtop, 
need not be sown as heavily as the larger seeded grasses. A heavy 
erowth of grass can not be expected on the drier parts of the canal 
banks. and yet on account of the less favorable conditions there a 
liberal quantity of seed should be used. 
It is very important that the planting should be done early, in 
order .to give the young grass the benefit of the cooler growing 
weather and the early summer rains. Competition from weeds, 
especially Russian thistle, is also less during the early summer. The 
best results have been obtained by seeding in April rather than later. 
Live stock should not be allowed on the banks after seeding until a 
sod is well established. Even then, close grazing should not be al- 
lowed if a permanent sod is to be maintained. 
[Cir. 115] 
