362 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



FORAGE CROPS IX 1906. 



The new growth started earlier than usual, but none of the varieties 

 made much headway until June, owing to the dry weather of April 

 and May. To this alfalfa was an exception, the plants being about 10 

 inches high on May 20 Avhen most of the new growth was killed by frost. 

 The first two cuttings Avere subsequently made just before the blossoms 

 opened u}). and this seemed to assist the plants in recuj^erating. and 

 probably accounts for the fact that the third crop was ])ractically 

 as large as the second. From the plots which were planted in 1905, 

 only two crops were removed, it being considered better practice to 

 begin the removing of three crops only after the plants are two years 

 old. Clover was damaged as much as alfalfa on May 20, and as the 

 plots seemed to be permanently injured, the June clover plot planted 

 in May, 1002, was ]dowed up. Most of the plants on the Silesian clover 

 ]tlot which was planted at the same time, recovered later on. and at 

 the end of the season the plot was still in fair condition. Owing to 

 very favorable weather conditions at harvesting time, the high (juality 

 of all hay crops somewhat c.ompensated for the lower yields. 



For peas and oats which were cut for hay, the Early Champion oats 

 and the French June variety of peas Avere used at the rate of 2 bushels 

 of oats and one of peas ]jer acre. These tw'o varieties come nearest 

 ripening together and their earliiiess merely adds to their value as one 

 of the most desirable hay crops. 



For wheat and vetch, a mixture of spring Avheat varieties and the 

 Sand or Winter vetch fVicia Villosa) Avas used. This is a hay cro]) 

 fully as vahialde if cut early, or when the Avlieat begins to enter the 

 dough stage. During early fall the vetches started a new growth, and 

 by the end of the season the ground was completely covered with the 

 green vines. 



Hi(n(/(iri(i)i MilUl was tested for tlie iirst time. This is a well-known 

 variety, and owing to its fine stems and abundant foliage, one of the 

 most desirable for hay. The jdot should have licen cut ten days earlier 

 than it was, for like all Foxtail millets, the bristles of the seed heads 

 are apt to injure stock if the ci-op is cut late. 



.s'o// /icr/H.s.— The Ogemaw. Early Black and Extra Early Black were 

 planted June witli seed which rijjened here in 10(h"). They blossomed 

 August 2. n and 7, i-espectiv<^ly. and were comi)lete]y ripe early in 

 October. 



Horse Beans. — Several varieties were jilanted ^lay 17. or ten days 

 earlier than in I'.M)."). The ])lan1s grew rapidly, reaclied a height of 38 

 to ~)2 inches and r<Mnaine(l thrifty until the^ lower pods were about 

 ripe. Thereafter the edge of the leaves and the jxxls turned black and 

 the beans became inor<' or less discolored. (Iriniiin Anticcri). the earliest 

 of tJK'se varieties, was affected much less and hardly ten pei- cent of the 

 ri|K' beans showed any discoloration. ■Iiiixinrsr Miironni, from seed 

 kindly donated by K. K. lOvans. the legume s|»ecialist r»f the Ogemaw 

 Cirain ^V: Seed Co., of A\'est liranch (Mi<h.|, who introduced this variety 

 for the first time and states in r<'gard to it that "the beans are used 

 as human food in its native country and are grown princi])ally in 

 Kentucky, where they are used for "hogging off." The stem and foliage 

 i-<'senibles thos«» of Soy beans, but the variety is a species of IMiasi'olus, 



