Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-04-29

1t is the practice to SOW grass-seed and clo-
yer as early as the season will allow. Winter
grain favors this, and hence much of our
seeding is done on the late SHOWS of spring.
Some practice better plan, which is to SOW
land, prepared in the fall as for wheat, in the
spring without grain. This may be done on
the late SHOWS also, or later if the land is well
drained so as TO be early dry and the seed
brushed or rolled in. This never fails if the
soil is rich and in good condition. In the
most unfavorable seasons, when other seed
ing fails, have never known this to miss of
a good set. Fertility favors moisture, and so
does mellowness. If the winter moisture is
utilized, as it will be by early sowing, and the
seed is covered either by the harrow or, if
sown on the snow, by the frost, the conditions
of success are met. They are not met if the
land lacks drainage, which most of our clay
soil does. They are not met if there is a
want of fertility An average degree of rich
ness will do in favorable season, but not in
an unfavorable one, much less if crop of
grain is TO be carried also. If, added to this,
long, severe drouth should occur soon after
the seed is sown, the result will be as though
no seed had been put out. Long drouths are
usually fatal even after the plant has started,
for its short root will have no moisture to
support it. So long as this dry condition re-
mains, manure will be Intellectual. l have
known seeding to die out after it had grown
an inch or more, being exposed for weeks TO
strong, drying winds. An occasional rain
then seems to have little effect.
This was the case last season in this section,
in soil either too light and puffy or too hard,
and much worse when also lumpy and harsh,
and its fertility reduced by long cropping
without replenishment. Is it wonder that
so much failure results? We SOW our poor
est, worst-worked land, and then expect to
see the miracle of a crop which only a first.
class soil produces. If circumstances pre-
clude putting the land into the best condition,
much can be done by top-dressing the soil
with manure in the fall, after it is plowed, and
early in the spring harrow and SOW the seed
This will do TO secure a CATCH but after-en
richment is necessary to establish and con
tinue the crop. Here is where we often err
We let our land lie and take care of ITSELF il
which case the grass runs out and weeds take
its place. In this section there is nothing Sc
important as care in putting our land in gras
and sustaining it. If not put in well, so al
10 secure a good catch, it will take years o.
the best care to get it established, and Their
with the chance of having some weeds remain
Where the crop is thick from the start, anC
sustained by ertilizers-especially if Glove
is mixed with it-weeds have little chance
and none at all if the land has been well fal
lowed 50 as to kill the weeds, and the sect
sOwn is clean. All foul land should be treat
ed in this way. 1t not only improves the sol
in its texture, but increases the fertility, ant
sufficiently TO pay for the labor. The ours
of our grass land is the weeds oVerrunning il
but from habit we have become careless abou
H.-C0T. Country Gentleman.