572 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The results secured at the Station and from a series of tests conducted 

 over tlie state indicate that the Manchu, Ito San, Black Eyebrow and 

 Early Brown varieties are among the highest yielders of hay and seed. 

 The Mongol and Hollybrook are well adapted to some sections in the 

 southern part of the state. The Wisconsin Black or Early Black is 

 earlier maturing than Ito San and can probably be grown farther north. 

 The Mammoth Yellow is quite inferior and is not to be recommended 

 under Michigan conditions. 



On land where this crop has not been previously grown, inoculation is 

 necessary if best results are to be secured the first season. Material 

 for inoculation may be secured from the Department of Bacteriology, 

 M. A. C, East Lansing, Mich. 



Soybean hay is somewhat difficult to cure. Soybeans should be cut 

 when the pods are well formed and before the lower leaves turn yellow 

 and fall otf. Best results are usually secured when they are allowed to 

 wilt in the swath the first day, raked into windrows the second and 

 placed in small cocks the third, where they are allowed to cure until 

 safe to store. 



Millets. The Golden Millet gave a yield of 214 tons of air-dry hay 

 when planted on a well-prepared seed bed at the rate of 25 pounds of 

 seed per acre on June 7th. The Hungarian yielded a little less than 

 the Golden and the Common less than the Hungarian. The Hungarian 

 gave an excellent yield of haj^ on muck. The Japanese Barnyard Millet 

 or Billion Dollar grass is coarser and uot as palatable as Golden or Com- 

 mon millet and is not recommended. Millets are shallow-rooted and 

 make their growth in a comparatively short time (50 days for hay), 

 consequently they are exhaustive of the fertility in the surface layer of 

 soil. 



Millet should be cut for hay, when the seed is in the late milk or 

 early dough stage. Mature millet seed is oftentimes injurious to live- 

 stock, especially horses. For best results millet hay should be fed along 

 with some other roughage. 



Sudan grass. This is a comparatively new crop and owing to the high 

 price of the seed in the past, has not become very popular in this state. 

 It should be sown about the same time as millet (June first) at the rate 

 of 24 pounds of seed per acre. The yield of hay secured the past season 

 was slightly larger than that secured from Golden millet, the hay, how- 

 ever, was coarser and more bulky and was from ten days to two weeks 

 later in maturing. Only one crop per season is usually secured in 

 Michigan; however, two or three may be harvested in the southern states. 



Sorghums. This crop may be sown solid witli the ordinary grain drill 

 at the rate of 40 pouuds of seed per acre, or drilled in rows 3G to 42 inclies 

 apart, at the rate of from G to 8 pounds of seed per acre. The yield 

 secured has been slightly less than that secured from corn sown by the 

 same method. 



The Early Amber variety of the Saccharine type is best for Michigan 

 conditions. 



Crimson Clover. — Not recommended for Michigan. Wlien sowni in the 

 spring it makes a very slow growth and small yield of hay. When sown 

 during the summer it winter-kills badly. Crimson clover is adapted 

 to the region south of the Ohio Kiver. 



