925 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 

 SEEDING TO GRASSES AND CLOYEBS~C on eluded. 



An experiment cannot be considered as conclusive until it has been carried on 

 successively for a number of years, but at the present it seems fairly safe to conclude 

 that better results are obtained by seeding alone than by seeding with a nurse crop. 



On the other hand it must be pointed out that by sowing with a nurse crop an 

 extra grain crop is obtained, which would be lost by seeding down to hay without it. 



In both experiments recorded above the hay crop was rather light when oats were 

 used as a nurse crop. Similar results have been obtained from large areas. 



The experience gained so far at the Station tends, however, to prove that it is not 

 the nature of the nurse crop, but the absence or presence of the same that influences 

 the hay crop. A nurse crop, whether it be oats, barley, or wheat, is apt to be so heavy 

 as to lodge and thus smother the young grass. For example, very poor success had 

 been recorded at the Station by sowing to hay with barley on summer-fallow. The 

 barley grows so rank that it lodges and smothers the young grass. On stubble land, 

 however, barley will no doubt prove to be the most satisfactory nurse crop. 



Besides the regular experimental work in seeding to grasses and clovers, the 

 following are the results obtained on larger areas: One 2-acre plot sown to wheat in 



1911 and seeded down with oats in 1912 yielded at the rate of 1 ton and 671 pounds 

 per acre in 1913, and a plot sown alone in 1911 yielded 2 tons 768 pounds per acre in 



1912 and 1 ton 1,950 pounds per acre in 1913. 



Another 2-acre plot sown to wheat in 1911 and seeded down with oats in 1912 

 yielded 1 ton 285 pounds per acre in 1913, and another plot seeded alone in 1911 

 yielded 2 tons 1,984 pounds in 1912, and 1 ton 335 pounds per acre in 1913. 



A 2-acre plot seeded alone in 1912 yielded at the rate of 1 ton 1,921 pounds in 

 1913. 



In 1912 the Eye grass from 2 acres was allowed to ripen, and after threshing it 

 and fanning the seed 1,030 pounds of clean good Rye grass seed was obtained from the 

 2 acres. This was worth 15 cents per pound locally. 



The question is frequently asked what kind of grass gives the best crop. 



So far, Timothy, Western Rye grass and English Rye grass have been tested at 

 the Station. 



The results of the experiments show that ^English Rye grass does not stand the 

 winter and that the Western Rye grass is superior to timothy as far as yield is con- 

 cerned and of about the same quality. 



About 15 pounds of good Rye Grass seed to the acre gives the best yield. 



Summarizing the above, the Station holds that Western Rye grass is the most 

 satisfactory hay crop. The extra yield obtained by seeding alone does not make up 

 for the loss of a grain crop by seeding with a nurse crop, providing the nurse crop is 

 of such a nature as not to smother the young grass plants. 



ROSTHERN. 



