The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-04-18
seeding to Grass Alone.

In seeding down to grass by Itself
there are several advantages. By early
sowing the seed takes much better
than in any other way. and the growth
Is more rapid, so that crop of hay
can often be taken the same wear. The
soil is in better condition for the sowing
than at any other time of the year, and
the grass takes SO firm hold upon the
sol that dry weather does it no injury.
When the grass -is sown with grain it
is very weak at that time, and \ few
dry days after the shelter of the grain
is lost will totally ruin 1t. This fire.
luently happens. and Is the reason why
so n:anv grass-seedings with grain fail.
The ground should be as well plowed
as for a grain crop, and then thorough
~ narrowed until it is perfectly mellow
and fine, and yet compactly settled
and made firm by the harrow teeth. If
the seesl is then sown it will fail into
the harrow marks, and grow up in
rows with spaces between them, which
is Objectionable for several reasons.
To avoid this the harrow should be fol-
lowed by brush harrow or smooth
ing plank to level the harr w marks
and get a smooth, fine surface. The
seed may then be sown.
In sowing the seed great care should
be used to get an even seeding. Every
turn should be overlapped little to
avoid bare strips, and it is easy to do
this by observing the marks of the feet
at the previous sowing. and keeping the
next track even and pan allel with this.
Only one-half of the seed should be
sown one way up and down the field.
The other half should be sown across
the first sowing and with equal care,
and then one may be reasonably sure
hat the ground is evenly covered. In
sowing light seed the early morning,
when the air is usually stiff. should be
chosen for the work. Orchard-grass,
bluegrass and red-top should be thus
GOWN. Timothy and clover being heav-
Ter may be sown at any time, unless a
strong wind is blowing, in which case
the work should be stopped. A good
sower may do the work well, even in a
wind, by throwing the seed low down
and by going across the wind, so that
the seed is always carried in the same
direction and with the wind.
After the seed is sown it should be
covered at once. Every days work in
brush narrowing should be followed the
next day with the sowing, and no more
should be sown than can be covered in
the next day. 1t is better still to have
the covering done by second man di-
rectly ter the sower. The covering
should be done by light brush harrow
ms do fol
| ght planks, ard quantity of small
brush five feet long should be procured.
One pole or plank is la d upon the
ground, and the brush is laid evenly and
smoothly upon the pole; the other pole
is laid over the first one, d the two
are fastened tightly together with wires,
or bolts screwed up closely with nuts,
or light chain may be wound around
the poles and drawn tight with small
binder so as to hold the brush. For
stumpy ground the brush may be
spread like fan and two short poles
used, and third one is laid across near
the ends of the brush and fastened by
winding some of the brush AROUND it.
The covering should be done CAREFUL
ly, as it is important to finish the work
quite as well as it has been begun.
(Irass-seed thus sown will rarely ever
miss. and there will be less complaint
of poor soil, which is mostly an excuse
for poor work. A farmer who spends
three dollars an acre for seed should
certainly take great care that the
money is not lost through imperfect
Of the ground and door
work in sowing and covering the seed.
NJ Y. Sun.