12 FORAGE-CEOP EXPERIMENTS AT SAN ANTONIO. 



This season the best results were obtained from sowing 88 pounds 

 to the acre, with 52 pounds and 121 pounds second and third, re- 

 spectively. With these results as a basis, to seed a much greater or 

 less amount does not appear to be advisable. 



The quality of the hay on plat 4 was fully as good as on the plats 

 with a thicker seeding, and was naturally much better than on plats 



1 and 2. 



SORGHUM-LEGUME MIXTURES. 



In 1008 a series of experiments was begun to test the growing of 

 legumes intermixed with sorghums for forage. Considering the 

 extent to which sorghum is grown and the way it reduces the pro- 

 ductivity of the land on which it is grown continuously, there seems 

 to be need of some practical way to lessen the injury to the soil, as 

 well as to produce a better balanced ration. This work has a direct 

 bearing on the production of a better quality, as well as on the main- 

 tenance of the quantity of forage produced. 



METHODS OF PLANTING. 



Different varieties of cowpeas and other legumes and several 

 different methods of planting were tested in 1909 on a small scale, 

 to determine as far as possible from one year's work the best varie- 

 t ies to grow and the best methods for growing them. The sorghum 

 varieties were the Sumac and the Red Amber and the legume varieties 

 the Iron, Whippoorwill, and Unknown cowpeas and a variety ol 

 kulthi (Dolichos Ujlorus). Two methods of planting w-ere adopted 

 in 1909, the row method and the band method. The band method 

 consisted of planting two rows of sorghum 2 feet apart, with one row 

 of the legume between, the bands being planted 3 feet apart and the 

 intervening space kept cultivated. In the row method the sorghum 

 and legume seeds were plant ed in the same row, the rows being 4.1 

 feet apart and the ground kept cultivated between the rows. The 

 band method was not as successful as the row method, apparently 

 because the legumes did not receive the benefit of cultivation. Of 

 the legumes used in the mixtures, the cowpeas did the best, the 

 Unknown cowpeas being on the whole slightly better than any of 

 the other varieties. Table VIII gives the yields of the mixtures. 

 There was one-thirtieth of an acre hi the plats planted by the band 

 method and one-fortieth of an acre in those planted by the row 

 method. The land was summer-fallowed the preceding year and 

 was a Johnson-grass meadow previously. 



[Cir. 106] 



