EXrERTMEXT STATION REPORTS. 



287 



the cxpcriiiKMital work of past years provided a sound l)asis for the answei'- 

 ing of a great majority of these questions, and for directing extension 

 work and piibheity in proper channels to acconipHsli best results. 



Th(> need for the utmost production of food in order to nuH't war de- 

 mands brought into use the full knowledge of this section based on nu- 

 merous past experiments concerning crop varieties, crop adaptations, 

 and cultural methods. For the most part, the experimental work of the 

 past was directed along lines remarkably well suited to meet these needs. 

 Here and there new lines of work were indicated by war needs which will_ 

 be carefully considered in planning future work. 



< ipiiili:a;iiive test of annvial hay and foi'ase crops. 



The effort on the part of Michigan farmers to meet the demands foi- 

 increased production of small grains, beans, corn, potatoes and sugar 

 beets, resulted in the frequent breaking up of established rotations, and 

 a decrease in the area of meadows and pasture lands. Without doubt, 

 crop production in Michigan will be effected for a number of years and 

 new problems will present themselves to farmers and agronomists. In 

 addition to causing an increase in production of our chief food crops, the 

 war gave impetus to the production of fibre crops such as flax and hemj): 

 flax production in the State practically doubling, and hemp production 

 being taken up in a small preliminary wa}^ in several sections. During 

 the past season, about twice the normal acreage of sorghum was planted 

 for sj-rup purposes, the largest acreage since Civil War times. Spring 

 wheat figured as a crop of considerable importance, the acreage increasing 

 from an inconsiderable amount to over 43,000 acres in 1918 and a further 

 marked increase in 1919. Buckwheat production made a marked increase, 

 as in Civil War times. 



As a result of the decrease in the acreage ordinarily given over to 

 meadows and pastures, the planting of short seasoned hay crops such 

 as peas and oats, millets, sudan grass, corn for fodder, sorghum, soy- 

 beans, etc., was greatly increased. 



