Agriculture for beginners . book, the cloversare legumes, and all legumes are able by means of the bac-teria that live on their roots to use the free nitrogen of theair. Hence without cost to the farmer these clovers help thesoil to feed their neighbors, the true grasses. For this reasonsome light peren-nial legume shouldalways be added tograss seed. It is not possiblefor grasses to dowell in a soil thatis full of this reason itis always best tosow grass in fieldsfrom which culti-vated crops havejust been which is tohave grass sowedin it should haveits particles pressedtog
Agriculture for beginners . book, the cloversare legumes, and all legumes are able by means of the bac-teria that live on their roots to use the free nitrogen of theair. Hence without cost to the farmer these clovers help thesoil to feed their neighbors, the true grasses. For this reasonsome light peren-nial legume shouldalways be added tograss seed. It is not possiblefor grasses to dowell in a soil thatis full of this reason itis always best tosow grass in fieldsfrom which culti-vated crops havejust been which is tohave grass sowedin it should haveits particles pressedtogether. The smallgrass seeds cannot take root and grow well in land that hasjust been plowed and which, consequently, has its particlesloose and comparatively far apart. On the other hand, landfrom which a crop of com or cotton has just been har\-estedis in a compact condition. The soil particles are pressed welltogether. Such land when mellowed by harrowing makes asplendid bed for grass seeds. A firm soil draws moisture up. Fig. 226. Single Plant uk Gl\m Millet 240 AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS to the seeds, while a mellow soil acts as a blanket to keepmoisture from wasting into the air, and at the same timeallows the heated air to circulate in the soil. In case land has to be plowed for grass-seeding, the plow-ing should be done as far as possible in advance of the the plowed land should be harrowed several times toget the land in a soft, mellow condition. If the seed-bed be carefully prepared, little work on theground is necessar) after the seeds are sowed. One lightharrowing is sufficient to cover the broadcast seeds. Thisharrowing should always be done as soon as the seeds arescattered, for if there be moisture in the soil the tiny seedswill soon sprout, and if the harrowing be done after germi-nation is somewhat advanced, the tender grass plants willbe injured. There are manv kinds of pasture and meadow New England, timothv, red clover, and redtop are g
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectagriculture, bookyear
