FARM DEPARTMENT. 127 



In August and September one-tenth of an acre yielded 1,046 fcs. of green 

 forage, or 10,4^50 lb. per acre. It is probable that the yield would have been 

 larger had the plants grown on the soil, so as not to need transplanting, as 

 this checked the growth. The green forage was fed to cattle quite liber- 

 ally and seemed to be greatly relished. 



The flat pea had given such indication in its first year (189i) with me 

 that last spring (1892) I procured ten pounds more of the seed, which was 

 sown on the sandy knoll where I first began, and adjacent to the j)lat to 

 which the plants grown on muck the previous year had been transplanted. 

 The seed was again put in rows 2^ feet apart. 



Taught by the experience of the previous year I directed turnip seed to 

 be sown over the flat peas. That is, the peas were sown with a drill about 

 two inches deep. Another drill followed, and sowed turnip seed about an 

 inch deep in the same row. The turnip seed germinated very soon, and 

 marked the rows so that they could be cultivated, and so keep the weeds 

 down. The turnips were pulled out as soon as no longer needed. The 

 flat peas germinated well. The earliest plants appeared at the surface in 

 17 days and others followed rapidly, so that a few days later all were up. 

 There had been plenty of rain, and the weather was fairly warm. In a 

 dry, cool season, the plants would be longer in getting to the surface. 



The plants were kept free from weeds, the horse cultivator and the hand 

 hoe being used. The cultivation must be carefully attended to. If in one 

 year a grower were starting a large area of plants the cultivation would 

 become a somewhat serious problem. The plants made a very satisfactory 

 growth, reaching before cold weather a height of 12 to 15 inches, and 

 having roots 18 to 24 inches long, with plenty of tubercles. Again, as 

 frosts came on they kept a green and thriving look until the ground 

 froze, about Dec. 1. 



The plants of the year 1891, left in the spring of 1892 to grow on the 

 muck, did not do very well. The early part of the season was quite wet, 

 and water often stood around the plants, and probably they had wet feet 

 all the time. Still they lived and grew. All will be removed next spring. 



Our experience with the flat pea for two years is: 



1. It germinates and reaches the surface in from 17 to 28 days. 



2. It grows slowly at first after reaching the surface, and needs care to 

 keep weeds down. 



3. It makes, on very poor, unimproved sandy soil, a top growth of six 

 to eight inches and a root growth of 12 to 15 inches, the first year. 



4. It makes on sandy soil that has been cultivated and improved, a top 

 growth of 12 to 15 inches, and a root growth of 18 to 24 inches, the first 

 year, 



5. The tops are not easily cut down by frost. The roots go through the 

 winter well. 



6. The roots are thickly supplied with tubercles. 



7. One year old plants transplanted in the spring to sandy soil, gave at 

 the rate of 10,460 pounds of green forage per acre. 



8. It does not bloom the first year. With us the blooms, pods, and 

 seeds have been few the second year. 



9. Cattle eat the green forage readily. 



During the coming season the experiment will be continued. The 

 action of the plants on the sandy soil at Grayling will be carefully 

 watched, as will that of the two-year-old plants, and the large plat of one- 

 year-old plants at the college. 



