12G STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



fescues, the seeds of wliich were mixed in small qiumtity with seeds sent ns 

 from the Kew Gardens in England. I think they promise great things for dry 

 weather. They grow rapidly ; they are large and nutritious, and produce a 

 good crop of large seeds. 



None of the lupines have done well in the tests made on early sandy land. 

 Several kinds of cow-peas have made a rapid and large growth after warm 

 weather had Jairly set in. I think them well worth a more extended trial. 

 They are eaten greedily by horses, mules, and cattle in the Southern States. 

 Horses have refused plants of green cow-peas, so far as I have tested them. 



I have received from Sutton & Sons, England, seeds of several sorts of red 

 clover which have been improved in that country. They seem to possess no 

 especial merit for Michigan. 



FEEDING SWEET VERNAL GRASS. 



This grass, Ajithoxajithum odoratum, when bruised or partially wilted, gives 

 off a strong odor of benzoic acid, which much resembles the odor of Bokhara 

 clover or melilotus or sweet clover and the Tonka bean. Sweet vernal retains 

 this odor for a long time. It is often raised on lawns because the odor of the 

 hay is so delightful. It is not unfrequently recommended as a valuable grass 

 for early pastures. 



A few experiments have been made, which are here reported. 



A young horse had been kept on dry feed for a long time. On May 34, 1881, 

 I cut a bunch of green Poa 2iratensis, June grass, and another of sweet vernal. 

 The horse was first offered some of the June grass, which he ate. He was 

 then offered some of the sweet vernal, which he ate at once. Then a bunch 

 of June grass was placed on one side of his nose and some sweet vernal on the 

 opposite side, when he took the June grass first. I reversed the bunches, when 

 he again selected the June grass, which he finished and then picked up the 

 scattering fragments of the same from a dirty yard, after which he returned 

 to the sweet vernal and ate that also. 



On May 25, one of my special students, W. 0. Latta, made a similar experiment 

 with samples of sweet vernal and meadow foxtail. Both were in flower and had 

 been dried for several days. The cow Heroine rather preferred the meadow 

 foxtail, but ate both readily. Heroine 2d ate both alike. Henrietta preferred 

 the meadow foxtail, and did not care for the sweet vernal. An Ayrshire cow, 

 Mary Stewart, ate both greedily, apparently without any preference. Two of 

 the work horses of the farm department ate both alike, while a third horse 

 preferred the meadow foxtail, but ate both readily. 



The cows had been in pasture for some time, while the horses had been kept 

 on cut hay and grain. 



TESTING DARK-COLORED CLOVER SEED. 



Numerous tests given in my last report show that clover seed will stand a 

 good deal of bad weather and still not lose its vitality. 



Dark-colored, bright-looking seeds are generally considered the best. In 

 1877 some light and some dark seeds were tested side by side. Fifty seeds of 

 each were tried. 



College seeds germinated 49 dark, 41 light. 



Albion seeds germinated 48 dark, 42 light. 



Paw Paw seeds germinated.. 43 dark, 41 light. 



Total out of 150 each lio dark, 124 light. 



