PERMANENT PASTURES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 183, 12 July 1873, Page 2

PERMANENT PASTURES.

A tenth edition of Mr W. 11. Button's essay on permanent pastures has just been issued. The following passage on the best season for sowing gras3 seeds may bo of use to some of our readers :— " Though much has been written iv favor of autumn sowing, I have no hesitation in saying that the spring is preferable, if the land can be made ready. With very hard land, however, in n wet spring, it is often late in the summer before it is sufficient ly pulverised, and if later than the middle of summer, it is well to defer the sowing until autumn ; but in Jautumn sowing there is great probability of losing the clovers, ns, while in a young state, they are apt to be carried off by slug or frost. Therefore, if autumn sowing is adopted, it is well to examine the young pasture early in the spring, and, if the clovers are found to be deficient, to sow more of the same kinds immediately, which will take very well if th« grasses are not too strong. If the land is quite ready by early spring, and the weather favorable, it would bo good policy to sow without delay, rather than incur the risk of the seed-bed being spoiled by a change of weather. If it is desired to grow a crop of corn, the time for sowing the grasa-seeds will be either immediately alter the corn is sown, or else when it is two inches high — the former being most favorable for the grass. As to the question whether it is best to sow with or without a crop of spring corn, it is, no doubt, safest and best to sow the grass-seeds alone, especially where the object is to obtain a fine park-like award as soon as possible. One great advantage of this practice is. that if the land haa not been thoroughly cleaned, and tho annual weeds get ahead of the young grass, they may be destroyed by mowing as soon as the grass is six inches high ; and another advantage is, that if, from irregular sowing, or from the roller not having passed over every part of the field, some bare spots occur, they may be discovered and ie-sownin good time. It is a common practice in some parts to sow two or three pounds of rape per acre with tho grass-seeds ; this pioduccs valuable sheep feed in the autumn. If corn is sown with the gross-seeds, some of the finer kinds of grasses are almost sure to fail, especially if the com crop is heavy ami becomes lodged. Still much might lie, and is, said in favnr of this practice ; ami seeing th.it a crop of oats or barley is an important matter with most farmers, I would l>y no meins condemn the practice, especially as the seedsman cau. if duly informed of the intention of his customer, provide such sorts and proportions of grass and clover seeds as will, under ordinary circumstances, insure a full pl.int. The quantity of corn sown should uot be more than two bushels per acre, and oats are generally less injurious to grass than barley."