752 Grasses and Leguminous Ckops in New York 



seem to indicate that this variety of vetch i& more valuable for 

 l^ew York conditions than other varieties, because of the several 

 uses to which it may be put and because of its apparent ability 

 to grow well on a wide range of soils. 



Its habits of gTowth are such that to harvest it successfully 

 as a forage crop or seed crop it must be gTOwn associated with oats, 

 barley, wheat, or some other companion crop. As the stems are 

 fine they do not grow erect, but trail over the ground or on plants 

 with which it is grown. For cover-crop pui'po'ses this trailing 

 habit is not objectionable and when used for this purpose it may 

 be seeded alone. 



" Botanically it is easily distinguishable from other varieties 

 by the narrower, more numerous leaflets and the hairy, somewhat 

 silver herbage. The flowers are blue-violet, born in one-sided 

 clusters of about thirty on a long stalk."* The seed pods of hairy 

 vetch are characteristically flattened, particularly when immature. 



soil requirements 



As mentioned above, hairy vetch grows remarkably well on a 

 wide variety of soils. This appears to be true throughout the 

 greater part of the state where it has been included among the 

 other leguminous crops. Even on soils showing a marked degTee of 

 acidity, large crops of vetch have been produced. Hairy vetch, 

 therefore, has a wider range of growth than most legumes. In 

 some parts of the state it does not appear necessary to inoculate 

 the seed; in other parts inoculation is desirable. In general, 

 therefore, where vetch is to be grown for the first time it would 

 be advisable by all means to inoculate the soil or seed. 



hairy vetch as a forage crop 



It is only within the past five years that hairy vetch has been 

 included among our leguminous forage crops. During this period 

 it has attracted considerable attention and bids fair to become a 

 valuable supplement to clover and alfalfa and to assume a perma- 

 nent place among the leguminous forage crops of this state. 



When hairy vetch is to be included in the average crop rotation 

 it is seeded in the spring, usually with oats, clover, and grass seed. 



♦Farmers' Bulletin 615, U. S. Dept. Agr. 



