Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-01-15
Seeding to Grnss without Grain.

SHADE kills grass hence forest, if
dense, has no grass. In close orchard
or deeply shaded yard it is difficult to
establish a dense sod In our village, in
the more densely shaded parts, it is inn
possible to start and continue growth
of grass. Orchard grass is an exception;
but this grows in tufts, making an un-
even stand of grass. \ very thick SOW
ing, we'll established, will remedy this to
"a certain eXteRt, but a rich soil is neces-
sary to foothold our common grasses,
accustomed to field growth, require the
sun and air. This is the reason that
thick stand of grain is hurtful to seed
ing of grass Sow your corn in drills on
a good soil; cultivate until the crop has
good start, and the grass, should it
start up will become spindled, and final
ly die, or be OF no value. Thus, in II
heavy growth of grain, the seeding has
but little advance, however good the
season may be Oats, our strongest
grower, if grown thick, will almost ruin
the young seeding, even after it is started
and gives promise The grain sown
thinner, there is mere chance for the
grass. So crop of clover will keep
under the timothy and other grasses sown
with il. One of the most successful
grass growers is our friend Smith, who
sows two parts of timothy TO one of
clover. This yields good crop of clover
the first year, but leaves also chance
for the grass, which, the second and
other years following, makes a good
stand In this way Mr.. Smith gets
his heavy sod heretofore mentioned
| in the Journal 1t will be seen
tina: the principle here points to the
seeding to grass without the grain. And
this is practiced successfully to a consid-
erable extent. Where the ground is rich
and in good order, thin sprinkling of
| grain may be admitted. Some hold that
it will aid the young grass by its partial
protection from the sun. In long, Sc
we're drought, it may; but in such case
the grain is light and affords little pro-
lection. Grass-seed sown without the
grain, if sown quite early, will succeed
best. The winter moisture, and the COM
paratively cool weather that follows, will
| sufficiently favor it TO establish it under
any circumstances; if the soil is good it
will afford crop the same season. and
| if the aftermath is retained a better crop
the year following. This should be done,
Mt least where the crop can be used; and
where not used it is Eetter to SOW thus
without the grain and sell the crop, as
then the grass will be established 1t is
one of the greatest misfortunes to have
failure in seeding, and only second to
it to have a partial success; we cannot
afford to wait to have the grass come in.
A crop may be insured by properly pre-
pairing the ground and seeing that it is
sufficiently rich. This can best be done
late in the fall, if the weather will per-
nit. After the land is plowed and
smoothed with the harrow, give it Il coat
| Is.f. = ID In uAtl 20
quite poor the manure should not be
scant, but fine and evenly spread, and
| then narrowed in. Thus mixed with the
top soil the surface is enriched just
where the top soil wants the enrichment
to start and establish it. By applying
the manure after the fall rains the
! nitrates will not be washed out of the
soil, the ground will be made mellow by
the frost and be in condition for early
| seeding-the best time in our experience
| being when the last frosts of spring are
stirring the soil. A good plan is to SOW
on the late SHOWS, or, If IL is desired to
| do it later, harrow in the seed with a
| light harrow or draw a brush drag over
| it. If the seeding is deferred till This
time there is no need of narrowing in the
fall let this be done just before the
seed is sown, to be narrowed again after.
This insures the crop if no grain is sown
to choke it out The manure will
quicken it, 1t will appear with the first
warm weather, grow from the winter
moisture i' there is no other, and soon
shade itself and thus in n measure defy
the sun and driving winds If the season
should thus open unfavorably. In order
to do it successfully it win be seen that
the seed must not be spared you want
a thick, even set This Is different from
sowing sparingly on poor or badly run
land GLADLY put in, as is too often the
case.-F. T., In Lic6 St0c5 Journal