J26 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The beads appeared July ISth and the crop was harvested August 5th. Before the 

 end of September the timothy had again headed out. Because of the poor quality 

 of soil this second crop was not harvested. 



ORCII.\BD GRASS. 



At the Station, as elsewhere, the growth of this grass was in bunches showing 

 the necessity of mixing it with other grasses. It should be sown on high well 

 drained soil. 



BED TOP. 



This is another pasture grass better adapted to low ground, however, than 

 orchard grass. The plot grew well during the season and gave a yield of 800 

 pounds of dried hay per acre. 



BEOME GRASS (BEOMUS TNERMIS). 



The seed was sown in the spring of 1901 and as reported was upon soil unfit for 

 any grass crop. 



In the spring of 1902 as early as the 24th of March, when the average depth 

 of snow was still 2 inches the grass had made a new growth, fully 3 inches above 

 the snow line. This growth kept on unchecked regardless of frost and the plant 

 headed out June 2d. At harvest July 7th there was a yield of 3,285 pounds of 

 hay per acre. By the middle of September the grass had again headed at the 

 uniform height of 16 inches but was left on the ground as a mulch. 



GIANT SPtJKBT. 



A very hardy and rank growing forage plant, apt to become a weed. Its name 

 indicates that it scatters its seeds widely. It is cultivated in Europe for sheep 

 and is especially adapted to sandy soils. It yielded on the two cuttings of July 

 28th and September 10th enough to indicate an approximate crop of 3^5 tons 



per acre. 



SORGHUM. 



"Amber Cane" variety was used for the test of 1901. The seed was drilled in 

 by hand, quite thick, about an inch apart, in rows 18 inches apart. Level culture 

 was given and kept up as for corn and until the plants were two feet high. The 

 cane stood the wet weather fully as well as any variety of corn although the leaves 

 were slightly affected by rust. The plant was not greatly affected by frost except 

 that the seed did not ripen; the juice remained sweet until after the crop was 

 harvested. An attempt was made to cure the canes for fodder by leaving them in 

 small and later in large shocks. Two weeks after cutting, the juice still ran in 

 streams when the canes were twisted and the canes had not materially cured 

 when the crop was hauled to the barns. 



MILLET. 



One plot was planted between the fruit trees in 1901, the seed being the com- 

 mon barnyard millet. A splendid stand was obtained with a rank and rapid 

 growth throughout the season. It was sown on the 12th of June, headed out 

 ihe Gth of August, and was harvested September 14th. The yields were interfered 

 with by hordes of sparrows feeding upon the seed, both before and after cutting. 

 The curing was interrupted by several rainy days and the hay had to be spread 

 out repeatedly but was in good condition when finally hauled under cover and 

 veighed, giving a yield so large as to indicate something like 4 tons per acre of 

 ..ured hay. 



DWARF ESSEX RAPE. 



The seed was sown June 21st. Most of the plants were 38 inches high by the 

 middle of September and remained unhurt by frost until late in October. 



The snow in 1902 did not come as early in the season as usual and the ground 

 froze at the surface. Some of the rape plants were left standing over winter and 

 ■vere still alive in the spring of 1903. 



