Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-02
Timothy Gro,o;ng.
Seeding. Management
and Crop Rotation

lures. usually with red clover or with
red and alsike clovers. In the New
England states and parts OF New York
redtop commonly is added to the mix
ture Alsike clover is especially to be
recommended on poorly drained soils
that have tendency to heave, as under
such conditions it generally will come
thru, the winter better than red clover.
On such soils redtop can be added to
good advantage The first crop of hay
is composed chiefly of clover. After
the first year most of the clover dis
appears and the following hay crops are
made up almost entirely of timothy or
of timothy and redtop. In some of the
irrigated valleys OK the northwest al
fafa is substituted for clover in mix
ture with timothy.
Seeding.
Timothy generally is sown with
wheat, rye, oats, or barley, which com"
monty are referred to as nurse crops,
The first hay crop is produced, as u
rule, the year after the grain crop is
harvested. When seeded with spring
grains the timothy seed, together with
the clover or grasses to be grown in
mixture with it, is sown at the same
time as the grain When winter grain
is used as a nurse crop either a por-
ton or all of the timothy seed may be
soWn with the grain or in the spring
with the clover When soWn in early
spring the timothy may be broadcasted
with one of the various types of hand
seeders and left on the surface of the
soil to be covered by alternate freeZ-
ing and thawng; or seeding may be
delayed until the surface Of the soil
has become somewhat dry, when the
seed should be covered with a spike
tooth harrow.
Timothy may be sown alone in the
fall and crop of hay harvested the
following season. In the latitude Of
northern Ohio and southern New York
the best results may be expected when
the seed Is sown from about Aug. 25
to Sept. 10, tho an excellent stand Is
sometimes obtained when sown as late
as Oct. /. If clover is to be grown with
timothy the clover seed may be sown
on the field early in the spring and left
on the surface of the soil to be covered
by freezing and thawins.
Timothy seed always should be sown
on d we'll compacted seed bed, other
wise the conditions will be unfavorabl
TO the proper development of the yuiiIis
plants.
The quantity of seed to be used will
depend somewhat on the condition of
the soil, but on the average from ten
to twelve pounds per acre have been
found quite satisfactory. If mixed with
clover, from eight to ten pounds of
timothy and ten pounds of red clover.
or five pounds of red clover and three
pounds of alsike clover are generally
recommended.
Management of Timothy Meadows.
Timothy usually is grown in rotation
with other crops, the timothy common
ly occupying the land for two or three
years during each rotation. Where
there is good stand Of timothy the
yields may be increased by top dressing
the meadows with either farm manure
or commercial fertilizers. The former
may be spread - the meadow during
the fall. winter. or early spring. Com
mercial fertilizers should be spread on
the land in the spring, soon after the
growth of grass has commenced When
normal prices prevail nitrate of soda
may be used alone at the rate of 100
to 200 pounds per acre, or it may be
used in combination with $50 to ESQ
pounds per acre Of acid phosphate.
Timothy meadows may be pastured
to some extent after the hay crop has
been harvested. When the meadow is
to produce a hay crop the next year.
however, care should be taken not to
let the stock craze the grass very
closely, and when the ground is soft
animals should be kept off the mea-
dow. H.
Harvesting the. Hay Crop.
Timothy growing in a mixture con-
sistins largely Of red clover should be
cut when the clover Is in full bloom
or just past full bloom.
When timothy is growing alone it
should be cut as soon as possible after
the plants have passed the stage of
full bloom.
If timothy is to be harvested for seed,
it should be cut after most of the heads
are mature and when the seed Is be-
ginning to shatter from the tips of the
earliest spikes. 1t may be cut with a
grain binder, shocked until cured, and
threshed with an ordinary threshing
machine. The yield of seed usually
varies from about 200 to 800 pounds per
acre. tho larger yields are sometimes
obtained. If the ripe timothy is har-
vested without much damage from
ing value.