COST OF SEED OF GREEN-MANURE CROPS. 



33 



Table IV. — Seed 'production per acre of various legumes at Chico, Cal., 1909. Plats 



one-twentieth acre. 



Name. 



Tangier pea 



Tangier pea 



Fenugreelj; 



Fenugreek 



Black bitter vetch 



Black bitter vetch 



Black bitter vetch 



Black-purple vetch... 

 Black-purple vetch... 

 Black-purple vetch... 

 Black-purple vetch. . . 

 Woolly-podded vetch 



Rate of 

 seeding. 



Pounds. 

 72 

 77 

 28 

 21 

 48 

 45 

 70 

 58 

 36 

 36 

 48 

 45 



Yield 

 of seed. 



Pounds. 

 210 

 630 

 490 

 490 

 600 

 1,800 

 1,980 

 300 

 380 

 580 

 400 

 290 



In Table IV is presented the seed yield of various new green-manure 

 crops discussed in this bulletin. These yields were taken from g^o-acre 

 plats that had been sown primarily for a green-manure crop test 

 and not for seed production. So the yields in some instances are 

 much hghter than would have been the case had the crop been sown 

 for seed. 



It is quite probable that at Chico, where these crops were grown, 

 conditions are not so favorable for the seed production of such plants 

 as the woolly-podded vetch and the black-purple vetch as are the 

 conditions in western Oregon, where seed of common vetch and hairy 

 vetch is grown commercially. This is probably also true of the Tan- 

 gier pea, though not so much so of the black bitter vetch, which 

 does well at Chico. The yields presented in the table and the gen- 

 eral character of the crops indicate that seed should be produced 

 as cheaply as that of common and of hairy vetch, and in the case of 

 black bitter vetch somewhat more cheaply. The seeding habits of 

 black bitter vetch are such that an orchardist could easily raise his 

 own seed if necessary, and where it is desirable to grow some crop 

 in a young orchard he might raise the seed with profit. 



Of the crops mentioned, the production of seed will cost most 

 with the Tangier pea and the woolly-podded vetch, and least with 

 the black bitter vetch. The cost of seed of common vetch and field 

 peas varies from year to year. Seed of common vetch during the 

 past few years has varied from 3^ to 5 cents per pound. When 

 seeding at the rate of 60 pounds to the acre this woukl make the 

 cost of seed from $2.10 to $3 per acre. 



Seed of field peas has been about the same price per pound as 

 that of common vetch, but as 80 pounds of seed per acre are needed 

 in seeding, this makes the cost from $2.80 to $4 per acre. 



Bur clover seed is advertised at from 25 to 30 cents per pound, 

 hulled. When seeding at the rate of 20 pounds of seed per acre this 

 makes the cost of seed from $5 to $6 per acre. 



190 



