54 



Depth of Sowing Grass and Clover Seeds. [Apr. 



is the practice of some to cover the seeds hghtly by merely roll- 

 ing them in ; others aim at covering the seeds more deeply by 

 using various kinds of harrows — chain, bush, and peg harrows, 

 or a special seed harrow. Moreover, the depth at which the 

 seeds are bmied not only depends on the kind of harrow used 

 but also on the number of times the operations are repeated. 

 A coulter drill or the Cambridge roller fitted with a special seed 

 box is not infrequently employed. 



As a general rule the nature of the soil and the depth require- 

 ments of the different seeds are not taken into consideration when 

 deciding on the method to employ ; this is generally based on the 

 custom of the district. 



In view of the general tendency to increase the acreage under 

 grass and the losses which frequently occur as a direct result of 

 poor take, which are the more serious in the case of leys intended 

 to be left down for a number of years, greater attention should be 

 paid to field problems connected with laying down land to grasses 

 and clovers. 



The best depths for sowing seeds of different cere.ils have been 

 investigated by Perkins and Spafford in Australia,'" w^hile the 

 best depths for sowing red clover seeds have been investigated at 

 Wisconsin and Michigan Experiment Stations, U.S.A.f As far 

 as the writer is aware, but few experiments dealing; with gr^-sses 

 and clovers have been previously carried ont in this country. t 



Aims and Description of the Experiment. — The investiga- 

 tions here discussed were carried out during 1919 and 1920 with 

 the follovring species : — 



Clovers. — Eed Clover. 



White Clover. 

 Grasses. — Perennial Eye Grass. 

 Cocksfoot. 

 Meadow Foxtail. 

 Eough Stalked ?vieadow Grass. 



I*Qt Cultures. — A preliminary experiment was conducted at 

 the laboratories with numerous pot cultures. 



All pots used were of uniform size. The soil had been air 

 dried. The seeds were sowti on the surface and at depths of 



Experiments Relating to the Deptlis of Sowing of some Agricultural 

 Seed>5. Bv Perkins and Spafford. Journal of Dept. of Agriculture, South 

 Australin,'Vol. XV, Nos. 3-6, 1910. 



t Forage Plants and their Culture. By Charles V. Piper, 1914. 



t Findlay has conducted experiments with Red Clover, l-ut does not give 

 detailed results : see Red Cl(n-cr, Bull. No. 24, The North of Scotland College 

 of Agriculture, by Wm. M. Findlay, N.D.A. 



