Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-04-10
Seeding on Winter Grain.

Eds. Country Gentleman, The COM
mon method of sowing grass seed on
winter grain, is to scatter the seed early
in the spring, and trust to the rains and
cracks in the ground to get 1t under the
surface, where it may take root. This
is hap hazard sort of way, trusting to
luck, but Notwithstanding its risks, it
has always been the usual way of put.
ting in clover and grass seed. In wet
spring this surface seeding will do very
well, as the continued wet will cause
the seed to germinate, and keep the
| plants alive until they take root In
dry season it is obvious that much of the
seed would be lost, as the circumstances
would not favor growth. Farmers often
anticipate the fact that the seeding may
not be favorable if they wait till the
snow disappears, and SO they SOW grass
seed in March, or before the winters
SHOWS are melted. Their theory is, that
the melting snow will carry the seed
down into the ground. This ia the safest
way, and will insure the best seeding,
taking one year with another. II does
not destroy the vitality of the seed, as
many suppose, by its freezing and thaw-
ing, after it has been fully matured ::
hence lying in the snow and settling
with it to the ground will not injure
seed. The seed cuts or finds it's way
quite rapidly to the surface of the
ground, and the weight of the snow
helps to press it into the soil, and be-
sides, the dirt, which is more or less
mixed with the snow, also settles on top
of it, and helps to make a covering.
A much better method to SOW grass
seed on winter grain, is to wait until the
ground has settled in the early spring,
Ion <l-oo l.
follow with q harrow. Any harrow
will answer the purpose. Many persons
use aThomas smoothing harroW-a har-
row with the points of the teeth turned
backward. This narrowing will not
only cover the grass seed, and cause it to
grow promptly, with no loss, at the
same time it breaks the crust on the
surface and mellOws the earth, which
will be very great advantage to the
crop of winter grain. Many farmers
shake their heads when this idea is ad-
Vanced, but If they would try it, they
would be satisfied that it is always an
advantage to the winter grain, aud se-
cures good seeding. These are not all
the advantages to be gained by spring
narrowing of winter grain. Many of
the weeds will be destroyed, and the
surface being made light and friable, the
grain Will throw out new roots and tiller
more. Less grass seed will be required
in seeding, as it will be better covered,
and hence not so much loss on this ac-
count, I always like to have seed well
covered, as the plants will do better
when dry time comes on. A harrow
with the teeth moderately apart is better
than one very closely set together In
any case, the harrow should take hold
of the ground and stir and cut the sur
face thoroughly. Thisis what is wanted
to give freshness to the surface and loos-
en- it up for the roots of the grain to
spread out and tiller, and to send up
more heads, which 1t will surely do.
The possibilities of the harrow as an
auxiliary in increasing the yield of win
ter grain, by using it thoroughly in the
spring, are yet to be learned by most
farmers, but when practiced the results
will be most gratifying. Too little pains
are taking in seeding, and on this ac-
count there is much complaint of "poor