THE EXPERIMENT STATION. 81 



The spurry has shown wonderful productiveness and seed production. 

 When partially ripened and plowed under with a very shallow furrow it is 

 self-seeding and produces an abundant crop. Its value as a manurial plant on 

 these light sands is pronounced. When plowed under it seems to enrich the 

 soil the most rapidly of all plants used. It is valuable for a fodder plant, 

 being readily eaten by cows and sheep. It is said to be very valuable for 

 cows giving milk. It is a plant of first value in bringing these sands into 

 productive fields. 



Both the red clovers have done very satisfactorily. Their deeply pene- 

 trating roots enable them to resist drought and their ability to withstand 

 frost make them valuable plants for the plains. Their value both as fodder 

 and for manure are so well known that no words are needed on these points. 

 The plants make a vigorous growth as individual plants, but do not cover 

 the ground with an even sward, but they improve when following other 

 crops. The flea-beetle has proved destructive to these clovers when they 

 first come up. The cut-worms werq very destructive last May on the well- 

 grown plants. 



The alfalfa made a very good growth and its strong roots penetrated the 

 soil to great depth ; a plant of good promise on the sands. 



White clover made a good sward and promises well. 



Rye made a poor growth the first year on newly-broken soil ; the second 

 year after a crop of millet plowed under, it made a good growth, "shoulder 

 high," which was plowed under when ripe, and a new crop of great promise 

 is now growing. 



Buckwheat made a fair growth the first year, but after a crop of spurry 

 the buckwheat was "just immense," to quote the words of an intelligent 

 examiner. 



The Hungarian grass and millet made a good growth on lands just 

 broken, and the second year made a very satisfactory crop, heavy growth 

 and well filled with seed. 



Field peas made a good growth and a satisfactory crop, which, instead of 

 being harvested, was plowed under, and a very vigorous second growth is 

 now coming forward. Peas promise good results as a manurial crop. 



White turnips made a good growth and produced a fair crop of tubers on 

 the first breaking of the soil. 



A crop of spurry after the turnips made a very fine strong growth. 



The perennial rye grass and tall fescue give great promise as meadow 

 grasses. They seem to more completely form a sward than any of the 

 grasses or forage plants tried. 



Influence of a Manurial Crop. 



It is difficult to point out on each crop the effect of a green crop 

 plowed under the preceding year; yet the influence was marked in all 

 the crops. A very intelligent and close observer who has watched this 

 experiment month by month from the very beginning, estimates that the 

 increase by reason of the manurial crop is at least seventy- five per cent on 

 the average of all, and one hundred per cent in some of the crops. 



Many persons offer suggestions of ways to solve this problem of the sands, 

 and such suggestions are always welcomed, even if not adopted. The end 

 proposed by the Chemist is to follow lines of investigation which will be 



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