Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-21
SeediupInndstoGra Grass.

MIR. Lawrence Young, Of Kentucky, in
answering the question as to the relative
cheapness Of orchard and Kentucky blue
grass, the quantity per acre, and the sea-
son for sowing, says:
Eve may premise that the most favor
able condition Of the soil, for The recep-
ton of seeds so light and small as those
of orchard grass, OF Kentucky blue grass,
is a perfectly clean filth, with q slightly
pulyerized surface, such as we have in
woodlands by burning the leaves in au-
iumn. or in ficld-culture by summer-fal-
lowing the soil and sowing the winter
grains. These seeds vegetate best when
slightly embedded in the soil by hard rains,
and at seasons of the year when surface
moisture Is not too rapidly wasted by
evaporation, aud may be sOwn in autumn
or in spring.
II, however, sOwn in autumn, they are
liable ID be lifted out of the soil by al
'urnatc spells Of freezing and thawing ghc
following winter, and TO counteract this
the sowing should be SO timed as to get
tn advantage OF those showers which
star and make the turnip crop. It's only
in this way the plants can root themselves
sufficiently to enable the earth to absorb a
large portion of the rainfall, and prevent
The remainder from lifting out the roots
by expansion in frosty weather. A crop
of winter rye OF wheat upon the same
FIELD is "A most excellent auxiliary in en-
aiding the ground to absorb surface water
and prevent the lifting of the young
plants.
Grasses sowu N spring generally
ycgetale with more certainty, because the
winter rains have saturated the soil witt
moisture, and under the mild temperatur,
of early summer the ground is sure &c
remain moist on the surface until the seed.
strike root. But spring-sOwn crop o.
the grass has also its dangers to encOun
ter When young, the little rootlets
which cater for the plants, run very nea
the surface, and it sometimes happen.
that drought in midsummer causes tn,
evaporation Of every particle of moistur,
within reach of the roots. and thereb,
the whole crop is parched TO death. An,
again. if an attempt is made to obtain
set Of the grass in cultivated fields bl
spring sowing, there Is danger that tho
carly vcguta'inE ANIMALS viii take tn,
lead of the grass, and by an ex
elusive appropriation Of light an,
moisture, smother The grass crop. Il
woodlands, where seeds of the annua
grass and weeds have not yet been intro
duced these dangers do not exist. Blu
wherever they are 20 be apprehcnde,
both the one and the other are TO b,
coUu,erac,ad, if at all, by acommun prac
ticc, that of spring sowing upon field
bearing la.i-sown crops of the white
Crains-whcat or rye. These crops tax
such thorough possession of the soil tina
rank weeds and annual grasses cauno
thrive, and Yet 'he iutpr-spaces betwcc
stools Of the winter grain allow ampl
space for the grass seeds 10 ycgetate: an
while the tall culms Of the Grains in hea
still admit light enough 10 the vouu
grasses Co keep them in health before hal
vest, the ~'uhh'c afterwarJ acts very ben,
1icia.}y hy shading them from the diret
rays OF the HOT summer sun. In rcrar
10 the time of sowing. we think an
convenient period between II
mrs of February and the Ia