LECTURES AND ESSAYS. 399 



know what plants would fail, and the cause of their failure ; it is worth 

 more to know what plants will succeed. 



PLANTS THAT FAILED. 



Many plants usually of great value for building up soil fertility by green 

 manuring were failures on the experimental farm : 



/ — Because of Inability to Withstand Frost. 



(a.) First in this class I place the "cow pea" of the south. This is a 

 rank grower, and accumulates a large amount of vegetable matter, rich in 

 nitrogen, and of great value as a soil renovator ; but it is so easily cut by 

 the frost that it more resembles the bean than the pea. The frost in June 

 destroyed nearly every plant. 



(b.) The New Zealand spinach has most wonderful power of withstanding 

 the drought. Some plants in flower pots in my study were purposely left 

 without water till the soil was dry and the plants were yellow and apparently 

 dead, yet a good watering revived them, and they grew vigorously. This was 

 repeated with the same plants, and with the same result ; but the plant was 

 nearly as tender to frost as a cucumber, and when frozen it withered and 

 shriveled into an insignificant mass. 



(c.) The Martynia is less vigorous in growth than the New Zealand spin- 

 ach, and nearly as tender to frosts, and of no value as a manurial plant on 

 the plains. 



(d. ) The yellow branching sorghum fell before the frost of June. Probably 

 all the sorghums are too tender for this climate. 



II — Failures from drought in 1888. 



(a.) The grasses as a class failed. Timothy, Kentucky blue grass, orchard 

 grass, meadow foxtail and meadow fescue were all failures last season. For 

 the most part they did not come up at all. The same is true of Bokhara 

 clover and triticum repens or quack grass. Perhaps the seed was not good. 

 Mustard was of no value though it made a straggling growth. 



Ill — Partial Success. 



Field peas, alsike clover and spring rye made a moderate but unsatisfactory 

 growth. I was disappointed with the results with peas and rye from which 

 I had expected striking results. The buckwheat was more successful, yet 

 failed to satisfy. Tall fescue made some show, and may yet prove valuable. 

 The perennial rye grass gave good promise and is the only grass that gave 

 me encouragement. The seven-topped turnip was a disappointment. It 

 usually develops a large mass of leaves, with little or no bulb, like other 

 turnips. The tops were not equal to those of the white turnip, and did not 

 afford so much shade to other plants. 



