EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 513 



FIELD PEAS. 



This crop as a feed for livestock is destined to be one of the most 

 important in the section. There is no particular variety that has as 

 yet shown marked superiority over all others, neither has there been 

 any special effort placed on producing seed of high quality. During 

 three years of testing at the Upper Peninsula Experiment Station, the 

 colored sorts such as Chang, English and Belgian varieties have out- 

 yielded the white sorts under the name of Canada Field. 



MISCELLANEOUS SPRING GRAIN CROPS. 



Buckwheat — This crop is not particularly adapted to the section 

 though quite an acreage is grown each year. The climate is quite favor- 

 able to the growing of this crop except that it is very susceptible to 

 frosts and since light frosts sometimes occur during the growing season 

 it puts this crop in the uncertain class. 



Speltz — This crop is quite frequently grown as a substitute for oats 

 or barley. It is not to be recommended where oats and barley do well, 

 but on ground too light to produce oats it has some value. 



Spring Rye — This crop is adapted to the section and can be grown 

 quite successfully. The fall sown rye, however, is much higher in quality 

 and production so that very little spring rye is sown in the area. 



FALL SOWN GRAINS. 



The culture of the fall-sown grains determines very largely whether 

 or not the crop is successful. 



EARLY PLOWING ESSENTIAL FOR GOOD SEED BED. 



Early plowing to enable the early preparation of a good seed bed is 

 one of the important factors in fall grain production, but it is a very 

 diflScult thing to do under present cropping conditions in the Upper 

 Peninsula as practically all of our crops are harvested too late to permit 

 of a fall grain seed bed being prepared. 



Summer-fallowing is one of the best methods. In addition to giving 

 an excellent seed bed, it permits a very effective method of controlling 

 quack grass. Early fall plowing of hay meadow is also a very good 

 method of obtaining a good seed bed. To be effective the hay must be 

 cut as early as possible. The plowing of a grain stubble will pennit of 

 a fair seed bed preparation. It has the disadvantage of allowing a 

 grain crop to follow grain which is a very poor farm practice. In either 

 of the systems followed in preparing the fall seed bed the thorough use 

 of the harrow, disk and roller can not be over emphasized. 



EARLY PLANTING IMPORTANT. 



It is very necessary to plant the fall grains at the proper time if 

 good results are to be secured. August 20 to September 5 is the time 

 recommended for this section of the State. Grain seeded at this date is 

 less apt to winterkill and yields a better quality of grain, than does 

 the late seeded grain. 



