The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-10-04
T;he Earnt+
Treatment of Grass Land.

A Massachusetts, farmer thus de-
scribes his treatment of grass land
He possesses a grass or hay farm, which
has been in cultivation some years for
that crop alone Hay is made the
principal crop, and the others, if any
are grown, are only secondary. The
grass is treated with manure just as
are other crops, and it is allowed the
whole benefit of the land, very little
grain being sowed with it, and it is
generally MANFRED with a light coat
spread on the surface at the time of
sowing. Even if the land is in pretty
good condition, light dressing of ma
nure spread on top Of the ground, and
slightly narrowed in at the time of SOW
lug. will often make the difference of
one crop the first year The grass is
pushed toward early in the Spring, gets
a start of the weeds, SO that two instead
of one crop can be cut the first season
For the sake of having the hay of the
very best quality for producing rich
milk and butter, all the better portions
of the moving are sown with such
grasses as can be made to produce two
or three crops in year.
VARIETY OF GRAss-sEED.
On the reclaimed meadow-land orch
ard-grass is sown as principal crop,
always giving three cuttings in season.
Herds-grass is put little higher up,
and, if top-dressed, yields two good
crops, while on the dry hills that are
not good grass lands, except i'll very
favorable seasons, the red-top is sown,
which never can be cut the second time
The different kinds are grown separately
in measure, so that haying may not
come all at once, as the aNlercnt kinds
do not come to maturity at the same
time by about fifteen to thirty days.
TINE OF SOWING.
| SOW crass-seed both in Spring and
Fall. lust as soon as field isread y
At both seasons | like to have it in
early; the earlier the better. Sow Win
ter rye for fodder every Fall, and am
very successful with grass-secd at the
same time. The rye comes off so very
early the next Spring, that the grass
has time to make good growth, and
can be cut in August On all Fall
sown fields, clover is put on the follow
ing Spring. | frequently lose the seed
by its swelling before steady warm
weather, and then shrinking again and
diving, unless it can be worked in a little
with harrow. If lose it, | resow it
even the third time, if necessary. ]
consider closer-seed cheap at any ord
nary price, to mix with other grasses.
1t takes but little value to SOW All acr"
and if it catches and does we'll, il l'ays
largely, while if it fails, the loss OF
account Of seed is quite snail. Herds
grass | very much prefer to SOW in the
Fall, early enough to get good hold
on the soil before Winter sets in. Some
times the grasshoppcrs do it great dam
age Icy eating OF! the young blades as
fast as they come above ground; hut if
we do not SOW, We must not expect to
rcan If her,ls-yrass is sown i'll thc
Spring, it is quiie apt to lie Killed ~
tie hot Summer sun just after taking
OF, the first crop, especially If it ha-
grown fast ana is tall and slender.
PREPARATION OF LAND.
rather prefer the land to be seeded
previously planted with some hood crop.
but if have fields that from any cause
are not producing satisfactory crops |
do not hesitate to resced Without plant
in-. If to be sown in the Sprnr
should want the ground well psowcI,
cultivated and MANFRED the Fall before,
50 that | could get the seed in at the
earliest moment that the ground could
be made fl. In preparing for rc>eed.n-:,
am particular to have the burrows
turned well over, all one way, by a
swivel pillow that leaves no dead furrow
ridges, and not less than eight inches
deep, 50 can have a mellow top Of soil
of at least four inches for Il secl-be,i
Always pick up loose stones, and roll
down smooth at the time of seeding.
If only light coat of manure is applied,
it is always spread directly from the
cart, as, if left in heaps, the grass is apt
to lodge where the heaps were dropped,
especially if left through a storm.
Exchange.