256 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Per cent. 



Kitrogeu, 1.5 



rhosphoric acid available, 9.0 



Potash, 5.0 



is recommended. 



Oats and Canada Field Peas. — The various varieties of peas are 

 sold under the general name of Canada field peas, and can be ob- 

 tained from most dealers. The oats should be the stronger growing 

 varieties, the Clydesdale giving excellent satisfaction. This crop is 

 one of the most serviceable in a forage crop rotation, because sup- 

 plying food when other crops are not usually available. The crop 

 may be seeded at intervals of from a week to ten days, making them 

 follow in the order of their maturity. Hence, the first crop should 

 be seeded as early as possible in the spring; it requires about two 

 months from time of seeding to time of harvesting. This crop is bet- 

 ter adapted for mellow loamy soils than for light sandy soils, though 

 good crops may be produced on the latter if seeded early. On good 

 soils two bushels per acre of both peas and oats should be used. 

 The peas may be sown immediat(?ly after plowing, while the land is 

 still rough, and harrowed in or plowed shallow, and the oats then 

 drilled in or sown upon the harrowed surface. First cuttings, which 

 may be taken just as the oats are heading, and, like the clovers, may 

 be used to advantage without the addition of feeds, though owing to 

 their watery character it is better to add small quantities of fine feeds 

 to the ration. The yields will range from six to ten tons per acre — 

 with us the average at the farm has been about eight tons, and this 

 yield will furnish about as much protein as is contained in two tons 

 of wheat bran. Where manures are freely used, say eight to ten tons 

 per acre, a good addition of fertilizer may consist of 200 pounds per 

 acre of an even mixture of ground bone, acid phosphate and muriate 

 of potash. The crop responds remarkably well to the application 

 of manure previous to or at the time of seeddng, the soluble nitrogen 

 in the manure promoting an earl}', rapid growth of both plants, 

 which is a very desirable characteristic. This crop also makes an 

 excellent hay, and while more difficult to cure than most hay crops, 

 is not more so than alfalfa or crimson clover. It is richer than or- 

 dinary hay in protein, and if cut when the oats are in the milk stage, 

 and the peas just beginning to form pods, it makes an exceedingly 

 palatable food. The plant may also be allowed to ripen, then thresh- 

 ed and the oats and peas ground, when an excellent feed will be pro- 

 duced. The straw also serves as a good bulky food. A yield of 

 two or three tons per acre may be obtained of the hay, and from 

 thirty to fifty bushels of the grain. 



