EXPERIMENT STATION llEPORTS 107 



in the third year of its progress, and has furnished some interesting 

 results. The seedings of April, May and June, 1S1)9, gave 4,250, 3,900 

 and 4,950 cured hay, respectively, per acre in 1900. It should be noted 

 that the June seeding was by mistake Mammoth Clover, the others are 

 June Clover. This year, 1901, every plot sown before July 25, 1900, 

 promises a good crop of clover hay. There are marked differences in 

 the quantity of June grass and timothy appearing on the various seed- 

 ings, which are being carefully noted for the bulletin to appear later. 

 It is planned to carry each plot through two harvests of hay and con- 

 tinue the entire experiment through a series of at least five years, taking 

 notes at frequent intervals and keeping records of the crops produced. 



Co-operative Clover f^eedinr/ Experiment With the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture. — In accordance with an agreement made with the Division of 

 Botany a co-operative test of clover seeds from various sources is being- 

 made. The seed from IS different sources w'as sown in duplicate 1-80- 

 acre plots. The results to be published as co-operative tests. Several 

 lucernes and clo'^-ers from Europe, of our own importation, are being 

 tried in comparison also. 



^uf/ar Beets. — The growing interest in this crop in Michigan has kept 

 the Department continually on the lookout for the new questions likely 

 to arise in its connection. The experiments of 1900 have been published 

 in Bulletin 188. 



This year, 1901, we are testing the date of planting, distance apart 

 of the rows, hill and continuous row planting, various quantities of seed 

 per acre, comparative varieties, fertilizers in their effect on tonnage and 

 per cent of sugar, seed of various ages, soaking seed before planting and 

 the growing of beets on muck land. In 1900 a small quantity of seed 

 was matured from tested beets and the same is this year sown to pro- 

 duce another crop. A few beets are being grown from seed sown in 

 November, 1900. 



There is now a sugar factor}- in the process of erection at Lansing, 

 for which the Experiment Station is raising, in addition to the five acres 

 distributed among its various plot experiments, another five acres in 

 Fi(^ld No. 12 of the College Farm. Incidentally we are conducting a 

 fertilizer test here and growing the beets in rows of different distances 

 apart.. 



Winter or ^Sand Vetch, vicia villosa. — This legume has given some very 

 interesting results and is calling for more attention than before among 

 stockmen. Its ability to grow from fall seeding and ])r()duce a crop 

 of hay the next spring, especially recommends it as a forage croj). 



In the fall of 1899 several sowings were made with a view of growing 

 this legume for hay the following season. One lot sown Septeml)er 5 was 

 used for early soiling, beginning June 11 and continuing two weeks, 

 during which time 1-10 of an acre produced 1,07(5 pounds of green feed. 

 Another plot sown September 5 on light sand, was on June 11, cut for 

 hay, producing one crop of 4,188 i)ounds cured hay per acre. 



.Vnother seeding was made October 5 at the rate of .3 i)ecks to the acre, 

 using 3 i)arts Gold Coin wheat and 2 ])arts winter vetch. This was 

 harvested June 25, producing 3,010 pounds of cured hay per acre. 



Another seeding of 1 peck wheat and 1 ]>eck vetch per acre, made 

 October 7, 1900, on sandy loam soil in the experiment field, was 

 harvested June 22, 1901, producing 4,300 pounds of cured hay per acre. 



