282 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Hosen Rye, since its isolated position enables the growers to prevent 

 the introduction of poor strains, 



8. Increase Plats on the Station Farm. Wolverine, College Wonder, 

 College Success, and Wisconsin Pedigree oats, and Smooth Awn barley, 

 were planted in these plats varying in size from one acre to three acres 

 and will furnish a considerable supply of seed through the Crop Im- 

 provement Association. In addition, five acres were given over to the 

 annual white sweet clover, which should prove a promising crop for 

 Michigan. It makes a vigorous growth and matures seed in a single 

 season and gives promise of great value as a short season hay and pasture 

 crop. 



9. Ejfect on Yield in Preparing Oat Land. Since most of the Michi- 

 igan oat crop is planted after corn, the point is often brought up as to 

 whether corn land should be plowed or disced for the oat crop. Since 

 a field of corn land was available for the Crops department, an experi- 

 ment was planted in one-half acre plats, properly checked, two plats of 

 one-half acre each being plowed in the fall, two one-half acre plats being 

 plowed in the spring, and check plats and two additional plats being 

 fitted by disc. All plats were planted on the same date to Wolverine oats. 

 Apparently there is little noticeable diff'ereuce to the eye at this date, in 

 the yields from any of these treatments, but no definite conclusion can 

 be drawn until after harvest. 



The machinery now used by the department in plowing, planting, cul- 

 tivating, harvesting and threshing is of the latest type, and was selected 

 to replace older types after careful trials of several makes. The depart- 

 ment is making use of tractors (secured from the Farm Mechanics de- 

 partment on a cooperative basis) for plowing, fitting laud, handling 

 manure, harvesting, and other operations except cultivating. Mr. C. W. 

 Straight, field manager, has been largely responsible for jilacing the 

 field work on a more efficient basis. 



The Farm Crops section particularly appreciates the valuable co- 

 operation of the Farm and Horse department and of the Farm Mechanics 

 section. 



Respectfully yours, 



J. F. COX, 



Farm CroJ>s. 



East Lansing, Michigan, June 30, 1920. 



Professor J. F. Cox, M. A. C. 



Dear Professor Cox : Tlie purpose at this time is to outline the sys- 

 tematizing of the cr()]»s breeding work at M. A. C. by reciting some of 

 the changes tliat liave come about, giving details of the same since more 

 land has been obtained and systems of crop rotation could be practiced. 



Beginning with 1907 the crops breeding work had about eight acres. in 

 field No. 7 for spring crops and two acres north of the poultry plant. 



In 1908 there were four two-acre fields south of the poultry plant, 

 about three acres north of it, and a wheat variety series in field No. 6 

 or a total of fifteen acres. 



In 1909 there were (besides the land around the poultry plant) about 

 five acres of oats in field No. and an equal amount devoted to a wheat 

 series in field No. 15. This made about twentv acres in all. 



In 1910, the oat series was moved to field No. 13. In the following 



