The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-06-19
Sowing Blue Grass Seed.

Mr.. Fassett, an extensive farmer, in
the Prairie Farmer, gives some useful
directions upon this subject. He says
The opinions of farmers differ in re-
gard to the time that blue grass Should
be sown. Some advise sowing it in the
spring; others to SOW in the
month of August. My own experience
is, that the best time to SOW any and all
kinds of grass-seed is from the middle
of February to the middle of March in
this latitude; further south it would
probably be better to SOW some earlier
further north, some later. The seed
should be sown before it is done freez-
ing. The spring freezing and thawing
OF the ground covers the seed to the
proper depth to germinate-which is
the only way know of to get it all
covered so that it will grow. The spring
rains bring the plants to such maturity,
they get such a strong hold of the
ground before the dry, hot weather of
summer comes on, that they are able to
stand it that is where grass seed is
sown without any other crop, which,
think, is the only way to insure good
stand.
One-half bushel, or seven pounds of
blue grass seed is considered to be the
right quantity to SOW to the acre to
make good stand. think it much
better to SOW timothy and red-top with
blue grass. Blue grass makes but
slender growth for the first two or
three years after it is sown. The Ken
tuckians say that blue grass pastures
continue to improve thirty or forty
years. Timothy does its best right
along the first few years, and then be-
gins to fail. Red-top has more of the
nature of blue grass, but makes a
stronger growth much sooner, and will
make about as much pasture, but will
wither soon in cold weather. Like blue
grass, it spreads from the root, making
perfect sward. The blue grass will
eventually run it out as well as the
timothy, and take entire possession as it
arrives at maturity.
I would recommend to SOW four
quarts of timothy, six pounds of red
top and four pounds of blue grass seed
to the acre.
As to seeding soon after timber is
deadened, I can not speak from expe-
rience, but can see no reason why the
three grasses would not do well.
I know it to be first-rate way to
make pasture on new prairie lands that
have not had the wild nature killed out
of them by cultivation sufficient to grow
timothy and clover successfully. / do
not know whether blue or any other
grass seed will grow we'll that is two or
three years old. I would prefer to SOW
fresh seed.
AS doctors will always disagree in GER
tain cases, a Kentucky correspondent
of the Ohio Farmer sends the following
criticism upon the above article by Mr..
Fassett:
I must beg leave to differ with Mr..
Fassett as to the time for sowing blue
grass seed. He prefers from the middle
of February to the middle of March.
That will do in some cases, but the best
time is early fall, with wheat or rye.
This brings the timothy up before win
ter, and the bluegrass comes up in the
spring with sufficient root to withstand
the heat and drought of the following
summer.
The quantity of seed (seven pounds
to the acre. that he sows is not suffi-
cient to make pasture for several years,
though if it could be we'll separated
before sowing it would do; but beat
and thresh it as you may, it sticks to-
gether and distributes badly in sowing
The quantity should be two bushels to
the acre, carefully sown. 1t is better to
cross-sow after the wind changes.
Keep stock off after you CLEAN the
field, until the following June or July,
at which time you will have beautiful
pasture.
If you wish to SOW in timber, use the
same quantity of seed, and g root it in
with hogs. Sow small piece at first,
mixing in some oats, rye or corn, to
make the hogs hunt after the grain;
then SOW another piece in the same way
until you have finished the whole field.
Age does not destroy the vitality of
the seed, nor of any other grass seed, if
kept from heating. I have sown blue
grass that was six years old, and had
been kept in bag in dry celia. 1t
is almost impossible to heat it. Noone
should SOW seed of any kind that has
been kept in bulk during the summer
months, as it goes through too much
sweating if kept in heap or granary.
Ii spread on door where it can get the
air all the time there is no danger.