THE PRODUCTION" OF HAIRY VETCH SEED. 5 



United States, but it can be obtained in both Germany and Russia. 

 The machines seen in Russia had a capacity of 50 to 75 bushels a day 

 and required no power, being operated by gra^aty. 



A satisfactory separation of vetch seed can also be made by use 

 of a cloth-belt apparatus by means of which the rye or other cereal 

 seed is carried u]) and away on a belt, while the vetch seed falls over 

 the belt to the bottom. A number of forms of this machine are 

 patented, designed especially lor the se])aration of buckhorn from 

 clover seed. A separation which is sufficiently good for preparing 

 mixed rye and vetch seed for sale locally can be obtained by letting 

 the mixed seed run over a series of inclined boards, each set at a given 

 angle and a slight distance apart, so that the vetch seed will run from 

 one board to another and the rye seed, which does not run so readily, 

 will drop through between the boards. This can easily be made by 

 anyone for home use and requires no power to run, as the seed is 

 simply allowed to fall over a series of ste]>s. 



GROWING HAIRY VETCH FOR SEED. 



Ilairy vetch will produce a good crop of seed in most States. The 

 largest crops have been grown on the Pacific coast, but those produced 

 in the Northern States are but little smaller. In the Soutliern States 

 the seed crop seems to vary greatly with the season, but good yields 

 have been obtained. 



Hairy vetch is a winter annual, behaving like winter wheat. If 

 planted in the spring, it may produce a few blossoms the same season, 

 but will make little or no seed until the following season. If planted 

 in the fall, it ripens its seed crop the following July. Spring sowing 

 is seldom advisable, and then only on the Pacific coast and in the arid 

 regions. When spring sown, it is best to pasture the> crop the first 

 season. In the Eastern and Northern States spring seeding should 

 never be practiced, as the plants seldom survive the humid heat of 

 summer. 



The seed may be sown from the middle of August till November, 

 September being the best month. If sown alone, 40 pounds of good 

 seed to the acre are sufficient, though 60 pounds are frequently used. 

 As a general practice, however, it is better to sow it in conjunction 

 with a small-grain crop — oats, wdnter wheat, or rye. Oats are often 

 used in tJie South, but in the North wheat or rye must be used. Rye 

 is the favorite, but if intended for hay the wlieat combination is more 

 nutritious. In growing such mixtures for seed, enough grain is used 

 to make about two-thirds of a stand and 20 pounds of the vetch seed 

 are added. Such a mixed crop is easily cut with a mower having a 

 swather attacliment, or even with a binder. If more vetch is used 

 it is liable to lodge, especially in spots where the vetch is thick, and 

 the mowing is therefore rendered more difficult. 



[Cir. 102] 



