Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-07-15
SEEDING TO GRASS.
The Growing Popularity of Summer or
- Early Fall Seeding.

se ass Early Fail Seeding.
For several years past there have been
complaints of the unsatisfactory results
of spring seeding of grass and clover,
and farmers generally have been disap-
pointed in their expectations and incon-
venlenced in their farm management
thereby. There are several reasons for
this which are not exceptional, but are
inherent in the circumstances which
govern the case; so that this result may
be looked for as rule and permanent
". These reasons are: First, loss OF
fertility in the soil: second, the manner
of sowing the seed; third, the crowding
of the grain crop with which the seed IS
sown; fourth, the usual dry spell which
follows the seeding, and fifth, the con-
dition of the ground at the time. The
gradual exhaustion of the soil has now
reached a point, and, indeed, has long
ago reached it, when no crop can be
grown successfully without manurlng
or the use of some fertilizer. Every crop
grown has been slowly but surely yield
ing less and less until the point has
been reached when the product barely
pays for the labor, and one crop
at one time is all the soil will
bear, and this is brought down to the
minimum. Naturally, then, a satisfac-
tory crop of grass or clover can not be
expected without adequate preparation
and sufficient fertiliZing to bring up the
soil to the requisite condition for bear
ing it. 1t is great mistake to suppose
that an exhausted soil can be rested by
seeding to grass. One might as well
expect to rest the body, wearied by a
day s hard labor, by spending the night
in some other and harder toll For grass,
or clover even, is quite as exhaustive
of the soil as a grain crop, and takes
quite us much fertility from it. 1t is
said very often, and thought by many
who do not reason for themselves. that
clover takes nothing from the soil of
any particular account, but draws a
great deal from the atmosphere and
contributes its gatherings to the soil,
thus enriching the land. This prevalent
opinion is fast becoming wea kened by
painful experience to the contrary, for
the farmer who has tried to grow a good
crop of clover upon his wornout field in
the hope that the generous atmosphere
would supply him with a crop has in
variably found his hopes as unsub-
stantial as the air he trusted in. The
dav is past and will never return for in
dulging in the hope Of growing even
this crop on poor land without proper
preparation.
The manner OF sowing the seed is
also against all reasonable hopes of sue
cess in the average seasons. The seed
is sown on the land, hardened AID
compacted by the rains of the winter,
and has no covering by which its weak
roots and germs are protected from the
damaging effect of one short but dry
spell. A shower or two starts the
seed into termination; a few hours
hot sunshine or two or three dry days
shrivel and destroy this germ andrOot-
let for want of the protection of a
covering of soil and all is over. There
has been no catch, or very poor one.
This easily explains the very common
result now experienced.
b If, however, the seed does not take
ty the help of favoring weather, and
he young plants become established SO
ar, they are stunted and kept back be-
cause of the crowding of the usual fall
gram crop with which the grass is
grown under the belief that shelter is
thus afforded. But grass requires no
shelter. 1t never was sown in this way
but for the sake of convenience, and to
save time as it was thought. The grain
crop needs all it can get from the soil,
and being better rooted and more Wig
orous, it robs the weaker grass of its
sustenance, and the weaker fails. We
need not refer to the other points men,
toned specially, but suggest that they
be well considered by all concerned.
The better practice, and one now be-
coming generally favored. is summer or
early fall seeding Or spring seeding
alone and without any other crop. This
secures and permits a very thorough
preparation of the land. This can not
be too well done. Our own practice for
MANY years past has heen to pillow the
land twice and to harrow several times
until it has been made fine, smooth,
mellow and yet compact If necessary
manure is plowed under and the land
is lined; otherwise liberal applica-
ton of fertilizer is given, with the
seed or Immediately after the seed has
been covered in. There is time for this
at the season when the corn has been
laid by and the hay has been secured
and when most farmers are taking the
leisure which they can not really afford
at any time during the summer; but
there is not time in the spring. when all
the work is pressing which can not be
done at any other time. The seed is
sown upon this well-prepared soil after
the surface has been smoothed and all
the harrow marks have been obliterated
by the use of brush smoothing har-
row; and this is used after the seed is
sown to cover 1t lightly, but sufficiently
to afford all the protection against any
possible dry weather. 1t required a
severe and protracted drought to injure
young grass so sown. at least we have
never known any serious injury to re-
suit from dry weather in August or
September, and if any should happen
some fresh seed may be sown later or
in the spring, and this would be at
least quite as effective as the old-fash-
'oned way.-N Y. Times.
nOIIGL MtISLRH0MS