Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-04-28
Grass Seeding Without Grain.

Mr.. Oliver Sawyer's question in the
Tribune of late date in regard to Ken
lucky blue grass. or June grass as it is
more properly called through the eastern
states. suggests the propriety of some
remarks in regard to the too common
practice OF sowing grass seed with grain
in laying down land. | consider it very
wasteful and very poor economy. do not
deny that it may succeed in some cases.
Where the land is rich and in good cul.
tivation, grass will endure great deal
of hard usage. and have never known a
piece sown down with any grain, that
would not have done much better if it had
been sown alone; that is, proper mixture
ofgrass seed without any grain.
A grain crop depletes the land to n
considerable extent and interferes with
the free growth of the grass in all cases.
When it is cut and harvested, especially
if it happens to be hot and dry. the tender
plants, having been shaded and weakened
by the grain, suffer very much from the
drought and are often killed entirely.
They are not and cannot be strong and
healthy. Now grass is the great leading
crop in high northern latitude and al
ways mnst be. We buy the seed at con-
siderable expense. and we ought to give
it all the chance in ourpower to encourage
it to do well. What is the use of buying
and sowing the seed in such way rs to
njure or destroy it? Let us sow it by
itself and so give it all the chance we can.
1t is far better economy and will give us
far better results.
If the land is clean aud not liable to
run up to weeds, grass seed can safely be
sown early in spring. Formerly this was
the universal practice, and it often re-
suited well. If the land was thoroughly
prepared the previous fall, so4hat we are
not obliged to work it over i'll the spring,
the chances of success in spring sowing
will be better than if we have to wait till
the land is fit to work and then SOW 1t.
But this is not usually the case. and if we
wait till the ground Is dry and then plw
and harrow and SOW the seed, we shall be
likely to suffer from weeds. From the
the middle of August to the middle of
September is, on the whole, II better time
to sow grass seed, and if for any reason it
is unpracticable to SOW then, we could
prepare the ground and SOW the seed late
in the fall. just as the ground is freezing
up. Then the seed will start early in the
spring and get ahead of the weeds. 1t
will do better, so far us my experience
goes than spring sowing.
Again as to mixtures. We use too few
kinds as general rule. We ought to fol.
low nature in this respect. If we exam
inc the turf of an old field or pasture
where nature has had her way for few
years, we will find at least twelve or fifteen
species of grasses. A large number of
species will give us much better results
than one OF two. We should SOW the
early grasses by themselves, and the late
ones by themselves in different fields
That economies labor. The early grasses
will pc in condition to cut by the middle
of June. and the late ones early in July.
The different fields come into condition in
succession, and the work of haying is less
crowded. Orchard grass, June or Ken
lucky blue grass, tall oat grass, perennial
rye grass, and the clovers are early.
Timothy, red-top and few other grasses
are late. Let US keep them by themselves,
the early and the ate.-Fr0tcSSor Charles
Il. Flint.
There is no sort of trouble in ordinary
seasons, in seeding in spring and getting a
good catch with wheat or rye where it is
desirable to raise crop of either of these
grains, and in fall seeding the same. But
where it is not the object to raise crop
where it is not the object-but to get the
land again into grass as soon as possible
and with as little exhausting OF the soil as
possible, then ii is better to stock in the
fall and with no other crop, On land in
good heart, and with the crops named,
we have had no trouble in getting a good
stock, spring or fall.