The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-04-12
FARM TOPICS.
Introduction OF Cultivated Grasses
and Clovcrs on Prairie Sod
without Breaking.
Great Success In Farming Oitcn the
Result Of Repeated Failures.
sn,N,>c GRASS on SOD.

SOWING GRASS ON Sod
The methods generally employed for
sowing grass seed do not give satisfac-
tory results. Attempts are often made
10 secure stand of grass Or clover by
nreparing the ground in the same man
ner il is for crop Of grain and sowing
the seed alone. 1t is thought that by
giving the grass or clover the entire
nossession of the ground it viii make
an excellent growth the first year and
produce a considerable crop for har-
ycsting. Ordinarily weeds take posses
sion of the soil, and by midsummer
they shade the ground to such an OK
tent that the grass or clover can scarce
" be seen. The weeds interfere with
the growth of the crop that was sown
worse than grain would. If they are
cut with mower in the summer thcy
throw up sprouts which mature sccd
before fall. The next season the weeds
have full possession of the field. such
heinz the general experience OF farmers
in respect to sowing grass and cIoYcr
seed alone. it is the general practice TO
SOW them in connection with small
grain. The grain prevents IN great
measure the growth Of weeds, and
affords for a time shade that IS benc-
fetal to the young grass and clover
After short time, however, the shade
becomes quite too dense for their healthy
growth. The plants become tender
and spndling. During the hottest and
dryest weather of the season the gram
is cut. leaving the tender plants exposed
10 the heat of the sun. 1t is often the
ease that they wther and die. If they
do survive the drouth they arc likely to
be killed by the frosis OF the succeed
ino winter. The loose condition of the
ground is very favorable to the action
of frost. The plants are less hardy
than they would have been had they
attained their growth in land where
there was no grain.
Farmers who occupy prairie land OIL
ten break the native sod chiefly with u
view of securing stand OF clover, tim
othy. or other OF the cultivated grasses.
They think it is necessary to destroy
the old sod before they can make one
of clover or the grasses that furnish
the best hay and pasturagc. Such'
however, is not the fac All the va
rieties of grass and cover can be IN
troduced on land designed for moving
or pasturing without the trouble ana
expense of breaking the native sod.
The change can not be made III single
season. and often this Is not essential.
Farmers sometimes want clean timothy
for the supply of the market or Tor
feeding their own horses, but tor most
purposes mixed grasses serve their
purpose better Ii II scarriiler or har-
row be run over a sod Of native prairie
grass used for meadow or pasture
and Clover or timothy seed be sown on
it, good catch may generally be OBJ
tanned. The timothy will not be very
rank the year after but the plants will
become established. and will make a
better showing the next season. The
clover roots will not be rs luXurlant as
in fields that have been plOwed, but
they will be much less likely to be
killed by the drouth or frost. The ma
tive sod keeps the roots from being
thrown out of the ground, and affords
them protection. 1t is not always nee
essary to disturb the native sod in or
der 10 procure Il stand OF clover and
cultivated grasses. After the grass is
sown, fed short, or burned, the seed
may be sown and sheep turned on to
perform the work generally done by
The harrow and roller If the ground
is tolerably soft they will press the
seed into The SOIL whore it will germ
mate to the best adv vantage. Other
stock will answer the same purpose,
but sheep are preferred. Red-top. or
chard, and blue grass may DO intro
duced in the same manner The lat
Ter requires considerable time to form
sod under any circumstances
The question of how to obtain the
best pasturage on the prairies has often
been debated by the members OF west
ern dairymen' associations. With rare
exceptions the best reports are return
ed from native prairie sod improved in
the ways suggested, and not from
pastures new or those formed by
FIRST destroying the old sod and then
undertaking to form a new one. The
old sod withstands drought well, and
affords feed during all the time that
grass grows. The prairie grass itself
affords most excellent food during GER
tain stages of its growth. It's leaves
form a good mulch for the clovers and
cultivated grasses. The sod is SO strong
that il does not give way beneath the
feet Of cattle and horses. 1t has the
ability of holding moisture better than
sod formed OF other kinds of grass. A
farmer who has n quarter section OF
prairie land would do well to allow a
fourth of it to remain unbroken. Cen
orally it will be best to reserve the por-
ton that is moist, as ii will be better
for grass than for any cultivated crop.
FORESTS AND FLOODS.
The important question of the rela-
ton of forests To rainfall, to drain
age, and especially to the rapid rise Of
rivers in spring, has returned with re-
newed interest. A question frequently
and earnestly discussed seems to never
become old, never lacking in interest,
never failing as a fruitful source of food
for thought. The movement of the
centres of the lumber trade toward the
Northwest attests the rapid destruction
American forests are suffering, but the