The cover is added in the spring. There are two general methods of sowing the clover. In the east ern two-thirds of the timothy belt and rather gen erally in the western third, it is customary to sow the clover seed in late winter or early spring, usu ally in February or early in March, either on light snow or at a time when the ground is lightly frozen and cracked "honey-comb" fashion, leaving the seed to be covered by natural processes. This method bas been fairly satisfactory, though it is thought not to be as reliable as the following. In the western third of the timothy region the better class of farmers wait until the ground is in condi tion to harrow before sowing clover. The seed is then sown and the ground harrowed.
The quantity of clover seed sown on timothy and wheat in the spring in this manner is, generally speaking, about the same (by weight) as the quantity of timothy seed sown in the fall. Some farmers sow more clover than timothy per acre; others sow less. The average quantity sown is prob ably about twelve pounds per acre. This is six quarts of clover seed, while it would require a little more than eight quarts of timothy seed to weigh twelve pounds.
Because of the prevalence of the idea that timo thy must be sown in the fall with grain, less timo thy is grown than formerly in some of the best agricultural sections of the West where wheat has been largely abandoned. It has been shown in recent years by the practice of some of the most successful farmers in the country that, except along the western edge of the timothy region, one of the most satisfactory practices is to sow timothy and clover together on well-prepared land in late summer (not early fall), though some farmers sow as late as the middle of September. This is considered late sowing by farmers who practice this method. When sown thus without a nurse crop, a full crop of hay is produced the next year, while if sown as first above outlined, a crop of hay is not taken until the second summer. In the western edge of the timothy region this method has not been found to be entirely satisfactory. There is too rnuch danger of severe drought in late summer. In that section a few progressive farmers have found that clover at least may be sown in corn at the last cultivation, and that a good stand can be assured by this method with perhaps more certainty than with any other method. In some in stances in southwestern Missouri, the better class of farmers sow timothy alone in the early fall and add the clover in the spring after the land is in condition to harrow. This method has proved very satisfactory where it has been tried, furnishing a moderate crop of hay the first year.
It is known that timothy may be added to a clover sod at any time by sowing the timothy in the early fall and harrowing it in. Likewise, clover
may be added to a timothy sod at any time by sowing it fairly early in the spring and harrowing the sod. As already stated, timothy and clover are sown very generally in corn at the last cultivation in New England, with excellent results. In that section corn is grown mostly for silage. This leaves short corn stubble, which is harvested with the hay the first year ; but since on good farms this hay is fed on the place, the corn stubble is not very objectionable, as it makes a convenient bed ding when left in the feed-racks by the cattle. [See Clover.] Other meadow ingredients.
Red-lop. (Fig. 538.) In some parts of the timothy region red-top is frequently sown in the mixture. This is particularly true in New England, New York and Pennsylvania. Occasionally it re places timothy entirely, for instance in a consider able section of poorly drained prairie land in southern Illinois, where most of the red-top seed of the country is grown. Generally speaking, how ever, red-top is considered a weed, and its presence in hay on the markets results in a lower grade for the hay. At the same time, it is more nutritious than timothy and is said to be especially desirable for horses when they can be taught to eat it readily.
Red-top is especially valuable in low, moist to swampy places, and may be used on such areas in meadows and pastures. It will endure flooding for a considerable time. It is suggested, also, that it does best on acid soils. It is not adapted to quick rota tions, as it does not become well established under two years. It has creeping stolons, and makes a good bottom grass. When used with bunch grasses it fills in the open spaces and makes a good sod. In the South it makes a fair growth through the winter, if the weather is not too severe, and in the spring grows rapidly.
The quantity of red-top seed used in mixtures with other grasses varies widely, from perhaps one pound of recleaned seed to eighteen or twenty pounds. The recleaned seed is the most satisfactory, as less of it is required. It does well with timothy, orchard-grass and alsike clover. Twelve to fifteen pounds of recleaned seed are ordinarily sufficient for a good stand. It is also much used in lawn mixtures in the north Atlantic states. Ordinarily, the seed on the market contains a large amount of chaff, and in order to get the same result it re quires three or four times as much of this as of recleaned seed. The weight of the market seed varies with its purity, but ten to twelve pounds per bushel is a fair average. The recleaned seed weighs about thirty-five pounds. The seeding is made in the spring generally, although it may be in the fall with timothy.