Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1904-01-29
SOWING GRASS SEED
Preparation of Soil Should be
Very Thorough.
The Narrowing Should Be Continued
Until Surface Is Smooth.


As rule, the sowing of grass OF
various kinds is made with some
grain crop. and usually in the fall with
wheat or rye. This method, however,
rs not Just TO the grass. nor Is It fav-
orable FOR the best results TO the seed
Ing. The so-called foster crop very
often robs the grass and exhausts the
soil OF Its needed nutriment, and a very
poor catch is the result. IL the soil is
thoroughly we'll prepared by manuring
and sufficient tillage. the two crops
may grow together very well, and tie
grass make a good stand. But this
Is seldom the case except with @ few
farmers, who need no advice or sug.
gestion upon the subject. The great
majority of farmers need TO study this
subject. and understand the require
ments OF the grass for Its successful
culture.
The preparation OF the soil should be
very thorough. The land should be
piowed deeply, and a liberal coat OF
manure turned under. not buried, but
with the burrows laid over ut an angle
OF forty-fve degrees. so that the ma
nure lies between the layers OF soil
standing on edge I'm n sloplng manner.
The harrow, run along the burrows.
works the soil and manure together.
mixing them and making them fine
and compact. The narrowing should
be continued until the whole surface
is as smooth AZ garden. and the soil
liz quite fine. IL the land is clayey
| and lumpy IL should be rolled between
the borrowings.
Sowing the seed alone is preferable
III any grain crop at all is used, II
should he oats I'm the spring. or buck
wheat early I'm July, as may be most
| convenient Excellent seeding has been
made early in August with n pound OF
turnip seed To the acre. This shelters
the young grass during the winter. and
| dying, the turnlps decay I'm the spring
and afford n most useful fertilizer Cor
| the crop. Timothy and clover. and or
chnrd grass and clover. and tho three
kinds mixed, and orchard grass alone,
have been sown In all OF these three
ways with better results than when
sown with fall grain aud subjected TO
the risks of the winter weather
In sowing grass and clover seeds an
even stand In desirable. and To secure
| sowing. A very good practice Ia 10
make tho last narrowing with great
care. evenly and with the marks all
| parallel. Then the sower can follow
| these marks. first taking the edge of
tho field and returning six short PAGES
| distant from tho first course. Then no.
| turning on the second course. and al
ways sowing with the right hand 10
| the loft. Six feet for each cast IL ms
| much as can be taken with light seed,
| ns orchard grass. blue grass. redtop.
etc. and as much ms should bo taken
| with timothy. and the quantity OF seed
taken may he readily gauged 10 the
| width of the cast. Tho cast IL made
| with each movement OF the right foot
| When the wind Is blowing. even slight
| ly, the casts should be made low. TO
avoid irregular dropping OF the seed,
and when the light seeds are sown II
Is easier 10 walk across the harrow
| marks when the tracks made ARE
easily seen. and as the wind may carry
the seed To one side. the sower may 60
out OF the straight track 10 accommo-
date the wind, and on returning can
easily distinguish the foot mss Of
4 tnt previous track III the SOit SOIL.
A broadcast secder is n convenient
thing, and costs but little, and can be
carried by the sower with ease. IL
drops the seed low. and II the sower
goes face To the wind at the start. the
seed is not spread unevenIy. When,
In spite OF all care. an irregular seed.
Ing IL anticipated. Il Is we'll to sow
half the seed one way, and cross the
sowing the other way, when vacant
spaces may be covered. An inexperi-
enced sower should practice on the
| snow, using sand, which can be easily
seen on the white surface, and In two
or three attempts he will be able to
make the sowing quite evenly.
The sowing should be done as soon
as the last narrowing is finished, when
the seed sinks In the loose soil, or IL
covered by the first shower. A smooth
Ing plank IL good thing to cover
seed with. 1t may be eigAt or ten
feet long. and ia fitted with a tongue
and two stlff braces. The tongue ia
lifted on the plank on a level, so that
when 1t Is raised the front end of the
plank Is elevated a little. This pre-
vents the plank from gathering stones
or seeds in front OF it, and causes IL
to ride over them. 1t leaves q smooth.
I