268 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE 



in respect to harvesting the two crops together, since the vetches made 

 almost no growth until the oats were cut. Further experiments in this 

 direction are, therefore, needed for this locality. 



We were able, however, to secure a portion of the crop with an ordi- 

 nary mower, notwithstanding it was matted together and lay close upon 

 the ground, and believe no serious difficulty wall be found in harvesting 

 the crop even if it be sown alone. As a plant for green manuring its 

 spreading habit of growth will of course be no especial detriment. When 

 sown broadcast with no other crop about one and a half bushels of seed 

 are required per acre. The seed at present is all imported and costs 

 about |4 a bushel. 



CLOVER SEEDING. 



The series of unfavorable clover seasons, ending with 1895, gave place 

 the present year to one unusually favorable to that crop. Almost with- 

 out exception the clover seed sown in the spring' of 1896 made a good 

 catch, and a vigorous summer growth, while the few fields remaining 

 from previous seedings produced good crops. The root borer, which has 

 done much harm for a number of years past, has apparently been less 

 prevalent this season, owing possibly to the diminished feeding ground 

 as a result of the recent clover failures. It is to be hoped, however, that 

 its numbers will continue to diminish, as they appear to have done in 

 New York and elsewhere. The abundant summer rains this season devel- 

 oped a vigorous second growth, which in many places was cut for hay. 

 Even the clover sown last spring came on in many cases after the grain 

 was harvested so as to produce a crop worth cutting for hay. On the 

 College farm a twenty acre field seeded upon wheat last March was cut 

 for hay the last of August, yielding one and one-half tons per acre. 

 Owing to the succulent condition of the clover and the unfavorable 

 weather it was slow in curing, and a portion of the crop was spoiled. 



A brief experiment on the effect of a growing grain crop on a clover 

 seeding was performed this season on a half acre of rye seeded to clover 

 last March. Just as the rye was heading out a portion of the plot was 

 cut and taken from the field. At the time of blossoming another portion 

 was cut and removed, while the remainder of the plot was allowed to 

 ripen, and produced a heavy crop of grain. Notwithstanding the favor- 

 able weather, there was a marked difference in the appearance of the 

 clover on the three sections of t4ie field. Where the rye was cut first 

 the clover was vigorous and uniform and a perfect stand; where the 

 second cutting was made the clover was smaller and there were a few 

 vacancies where weeds made their appearance; and where the rye was 

 allowed to ripen the clover was thin and there were large spots where it 

 was completely killed out and which ciime up to ragweed and other foul 

 growth. 



Two years ago the experiment was performed of seeding a plot to 

 clover every month in the year. The results were so instructive that this 

 yt!ar the experiment is being repeated on a different soil and under what 

 are proving to be different conditions as to moisture. In the preceding 

 trial a large portion of the seed sow^n in the early summer failed to ger- 

 minate, but so far this season a full stand has been obtained from every 



