RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 9 



TRIALS BY EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



A large part of the seed of the first introduction was placed imme- 

 diately with the agricultural experiment stations in the Northern 

 States and planted in the spring of 1899. From this time forward 

 the most extensive trials have been made at the experiment stations 

 in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Montana. A report of these trials 

 will be given. In Wisconsin and North Dakota the experiments 

 have for some time constituted a part of the regular series conducted 

 in cooperation with this Bureau. 



Wisconsin. 



The results obtained by the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment 

 Station have been exceedingly interesting. Only 6 pounds of seed 

 were sent to the station, and this quantity was sown on a tenth-acre 

 plat. In the words of Prof. R. A. Moore, agronomist — a 



The results were so favorable that an effort was put forth to improve them by selec- 

 tion and careful grading of the seed for each season's crop. In all comparisons with 

 selected varieties of oats the Swedish were equal to the best in point of yield and had 

 several desirable characteristics superior to other varieties. 



Concerning the good qualities of this variety, Professor Moore 

 states as follows: 6 



The Swedish Select oats (Wisconsin No. 4) seem especially adapted for high, well- 

 drained land, and the best-known returns are from clay-loam soils. The great root devel- 

 opment is one of the characteristics of the Swedish oats, which enables the plant to 

 resist drought better than any other variety tested. The straw is coarse and is noted 

 for its stiffness and power to withstand lodging. The Swedish oats lodged for the first 

 time during the four years' test on the experimental farm the past season, this being 

 due to the severe storm of July. 



On the experiment station farm such good results were obtained 

 in 1899 and 1900 that 7\ acres were sown in 1901, with the view of 

 increasing the quantity of seed for distribution throughout the State. 

 This crop made 306 bushels, a yield of 40.8 bushels per acre, in spite 

 of the serious drought of that season. This drought, though it 

 appears to have been particularly severe at Madison, where this 

 good crop of Swedish Select oats was grown, was general throughout 

 the State and, in fact, throughout the Northwest. The average 

 yield of oats for the State was thereby reduced to less than 30 bushels 

 per acre. There is shown, therefore, in this comparison a striking 

 exhibition of the drought-resisting quality of the Swedish Select. 



In the mean time there was organized the Wisconsin Agricultural 

 Experiment Association, composed of people connected with the 

 Wisconsin College of Agriculture, which association has become 

 extremely effective in improving the crops of the State. Seed of 



« Third Annual Report, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association, p. 9. 

 b First Annual Report, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association, p. 16. 



38839°— Bui. 182—10 2 



