The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-01
- ------ss'-7- - - AGRICULTURE.
SOIL AND SEED BEDS.

up this subject. Nearly or quite all of our best clovers and grasses thrive bet ter on soils which contain liberal quan- titles of lime. This is perhaps more es- pecially true of clovers In taking this view Of the matter I know that it may not be popular or generally conceded that lime is essential to successful grass grow ing. However. I became fully satisfied of this fact years ago. and after long experience and observation, and after having travelled over most of the United States, Canada and Mexico where in all of these countries I made a close study of grass, I am more fully convinced than ever that my early impression that lime is needed in all soils in order to obtain best results was well founded. We can and do grow clovers and grasses on soils that contain but little. if any lime, but the results are not so satisfactory, nor so lasting as if there were lime in the soil. Some species may need more lime than others, and this is true as to soils.
 While travelling through Canada I was greatly impressed with the fine grass that was common everywhere, and upon exam ing the soil, found that the country at one time was a vast inland sea or lake, and when the waters receded large quantity of animal shells were left in land. These have been constantly dis intregrating for perhaps thousands of centuries, thereby furnishing lime, and this superphosphate of lime intermlxed with organic matter, decayed vegetable matter has made a soil unsurpassed anywhere for grasses. Here the grass grows so luxuriant and is of such fine quality that stock keep fat at all sea sons of the year It is not even neees- sary in western Canada to cut the grass for hay, for il natures right on the ground and makes the finest of feed. This condition together with the wonderful growth of the grass Is proof conclusive of the value of lime for bringing out best results in grass growing.
 Where soils are naturally deficient in lime some artificial supply should be made, and almost any waste lime around our lime works can be well and prohtably utilized.
 As further proof of the value of lime for grass, l will make mention here of what one man did and is now doing in the grass line where lime is used freely. This man bought poor, wornout farm and went to a nearby lime works, where he secured a lot of waste lime. This was ground fine and spread on his land at the rate of thirty bushels, or 2iOo pounds. per acre. In the summer of 1905 he cut an average of three and one-half tons of fine clover and timothy hay per acre, while his neighbors were getting from one-half to one ton for q poor quail ity of hay from their lands.
 Time to Apply Lime.
 As to the best time for applying lime. this will depend upon soils and seasons. Usually the best time would be to SOW it on broadcast In the fall. Coarse lump lime can be hauled the land and left in piles until 1t air shakes, when 1t may be spread out over the soil. 1t Is usually best in preparing lands for grass to com- mence in the summer by blowing deep, keeping the soil well cultivated and fine until seeding time. The lime may be sown on the fresh broken land and har- rowed in. After the soil has been well fertilzed and made fine, then SOW the grass seed. This may be done in the fall in many sections and the fall sowings generally bring best results.
 Another good plan for preparing soils for grass is to break the land in the early fall. SOW 1t to winter rye or winter barley and then blow this under in the spring. after having pastured 1t. But In pasturing 1t, never allow the stock on the ground when wet. When 1t is plowed up in the spring 1t should be planted to
 
 pea hay can thus be secured, and the second crop, which will come from the stubble, can be plowed under, the soil lined, the seedbed made very fine and then the grass seed sown. The idea is this-to have the seedbed right before attempting to grow grass, and in many cases 1t will require several years of soil preparation before profitable crops of grass can be grown. There Is nothing to be gained by trying to hurry this mat ter, and where attempts are made to grow grass without this thorough seed bed preparation failure is sure to be the result.
 Fertilizers Needed.
 So far as the fertilizers for grasses are concerned, the soil should be well en- riched with some of the best plant foods before the sowings are made The best fertilizer for grasses is well routed com post. This compost can be prepared on every farm at a small cost of labor and money and this is of so much impor- tance that I will give the plan here for making this cheap compost. Take fresh stable manure, commence to build if building hay stack, making the circle as large as wanted. Place first q layer of manure twelve to fifteen inches deep tramping down firmly; now put on an inch layer of phosphoric acid which may be in the form of what we call floats, or bone meal may be used with equally good results. Sprinkle this over with kainit. Keep this up until all the manure is used up or until the pile is as large as wanted. The phosphoric acid aids in the decomposition of the manure. and at the same time preserves the ammonia in the stack The kainit will furnish the pot ash which may be needed. The pile should be covered and protected from rain. and after this heap has stood for several months in this manner it is ready for use for any or all crops, and will be of special benefit in preparing soils for grasses.
 As to the amount to use, this depends upon the condition of the soil There is very little danger of using too much of this natural plant food. The reader should keep in mind that this has nothing what ever to do with the lining of the soil as recommended above, as the lime Is an in- dependent matter altogether. It is not only well to use large quantities of this compost before sowing the lands to grass but top dressings of it should be applied annually.
 Advantage of Compost Heap.
 One of the great advantages of the compost heap is that every particle of waste vegetable matter on the farm may be worked into the heap. There Is al- ways in all the towns great quantities of the very best natural fertilizer going to waste, which should be hauled out and either applied to the soil or worked into the compost heap There is nearly all ways on the farm times when the farm teams can be spared for doing this haul ing. It is only a waste of money to buy commercial fertilizers when we have aII