288 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The effect of the war was also apparent in its influence on our seed 

 stocks and seed production. Owing to the cutting off of foreign importa- 

 tions of clover seed and unfavorable conditions for production, seed of 

 this important legume was very scarce and demanded an extremely high 

 ))rice, ranging from twenty-five to thirtj^-two dollars per bushel for red 

 clover and mammoth, and from twentj-two to twenty-eight dollars for 

 alsike at retail during the spring of 1918. 



During the past four years the production of hairy vetch seed (formerly 

 imported from Russia) has increased very markedly in Western Michigan, 

 and bids fair to remain as a permanent industry. 



The production of seed of crops not usualh^ handled in the State such 

 as millet and alfalfa was noted in occasional instances. In the case of 

 sweet clover the acreage was greatly expanded and seed production in- 

 creased very considerably. 



The alfalfa seed situation was bettered if anything by war conditions 

 though the price was high and the seed not too plentiful. The cutting 

 off of Turkestan and Arabian seed threw American producers on their 

 own resources, and a much larger quantity of American seed was produced 

 than usual in western states. The more wide spread use of seed from the 

 northwest gave a much higher percentage of successes with affalfa in 

 Michigan. ^The acreage of this crop gained rapidly. 



The rape seed on the market was almost entirely of Japanese origin^ 

 little'of the Dwarf Essex being available from Europe. 



The Michigan sugar beet companies, faced with the shortage of imported 

 seed, increased the production of sugar beet seed to the extent that many 

 of them were able to produce from one-third to one-half the seed needed 

 for the acreages contracted under their direction. Sugar beet seed pro- 

 duction before the beginning of the European war in 1914 was practically 

 unknown in Michigan. 



Threshing variety series of wheat. 



