The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-10-03
GRASS CROPS ON LIGHT SOILS.
Tho Secret of n Good Catch Of Grass Seed
Erect of Air slaked Limo.

Tho Secret of Good Catch Of Grass Seed.
Erect of Air slaked Limo.
From numerous complaints about
poor grass crops on light soils, even
when well manured and with a fair
amount of moisture, it seems that the
trouble in many cases is due to failure
in getting a good catch of grass seed.
Now, on the Rhode Island experiment
station farm the management have
been contending with just this same
difficulty for several years. The land is
sandy loan, underlaid by stratum Of
yellow loam two or three feet in thick
ness, which in turn is underlaid by por-
ous gravel Of unknown depth, the per-
manent water table being about IS feet
below tho surface. This land was in q
thoroughly exhausted condition when
purchased. Liberal amounts Of chem
icals and fertilizers, ordinarily purchas-
ed as sources Of plant food. have been
used experimentally on portions of this
plain, but without success SO far as the
securing of u stand of grass or clover
was concerned.
Not until an application of air slaked
lime wns made has success been attain
ed, and repeated experiment has shown
that the presence or absence of air slak-
ed lime accounts for tho success or fail
ure on this particular farm. Director
Flagg, in accounting for this in The
New England Homestead. says: There
appears to be, and repeated experiment
has pretty well demonstrated the fact,
an acid condition Of the soil sufficient to
prevent the growth of our ordinary
grasses and clover in their infancy. Seed
germinates well, but after developing
two or three leaves the plant turns
yellow and soon dies. Where tire fields
have been treated to an application OF
from one to three tons per acre Of COM
mon air slaked lime thoroughly worked
into freshly plowed fields before seed
ing, clover and herds grass present an
entirely different appearance and yield
heavy crops.
By the use of q liberal quantity Of
unleached wood ashes the same purpose
may be accomplished, as wood ashes con-
tain large per cent of carbonate Of
lime. but if. as in many instances, the
beneficial effect Of wood ashes is due to
the carbonate of lime rather than to the
potash in promoting the growth of clo-
yer, one can accomplish the same results
more economically by purchasing and
applying air slaked lime.
The effect Of the air slaked lime may
be twofold: 1. As chemical agent in
correcting any excessive acid condition
of the soil 2. A mechanical effect by
fiocculating the finer PARTICLES Of the
soil. making it more retentive Of mois-
ture. Professor Flagg suggests that
farmers try dressing Of air slaked lime
in connection with good grass fertilizer
upon u portion of such fields when seed
ing again to grass, whether clover or
herd s grass. OF course lime of itself 10
insufficient to produce good crops; a snf-
ficient amount Of potash. phosphorio acid
and nitrogen should be added to produce
an average crop Of hay. Less nitrogen
may be used if the field is sown entirely
to clover than IL sown to red top and
herd Is grass witilout clover, bat If hay for
feeding cattle is wanted 1t is advised to
grow one or two crops of clover, on ac-
count Of it's value as renovating agent
in sandy and gravelly soils.