422 Bulletin 279. 



The seed was planted in the greenhouse in soil that had been sterilized 

 by passing steam through it for several hours to kill any foreign seeds 

 that might be present. After drying sufficiently, the soil was placed 

 in 2-inch flower pots and a single seed sown in each. 



When the plants were about two months old, they were removed 

 to the field and transplanted, the plants from seed from a given source 

 being placed in the same plat, which consisted of 2 rows containing 

 21 plants each. The plants were 30 inches apart in the row and the 

 distance between rows 30 inches. In order to have a criterion by which 

 to measure any variations in soil conditions and to serve as a basis for 

 comparison, a series of check plats was inserted, every fourth plat being 



Fig. III. Timothy plants growing in greenhouse. 



a check. The seed from which these plants were grown came from the 

 same source, viz., the University Farm. 



The soil on which the plats were located is a rather heavy, silty, clay 

 soil classified as Dunkirk clay loam. Because of the uneven topog- 

 raphy, the soil on this section is somewhat non-uniform so far as moisture 

 conditions are concerned. 



The plants were given thorough cultivation throughout the growing 

 season, special care being taken to prevent "volunteers" from coming 

 in. At maturity the plants were harvested by cutting each one separately 

 with a sickle, after which they were tied up, labeled, and allowed to dry. 

 They were then taken to the barn, where they were stored until winter 

 when they were weighed and the length measured. 



