FIELD CROPS. 1081 



aiul 100 ll)s. of ninriate of potash per aciv, gave a total yield of 12.50 tons of 

 bay. Tills yield was secured the tirst year after planting,' and exceeds any 

 record made on tne college farm. The expense of fitting the soil, the cost of 

 seed and of fertilizers including lime, and the outlay for harvesting made a 

 total cost of $5.54 per ton of hay. A dressing of 150 lbs. of acid phosphate 

 and 50 lbs. of muriate of ])otash per acre gh-en in September resulted in a 

 vigorous growth for winter protection. Disldng alfalfa in spring and summer 

 has not been found very successful, but dislving after S<'ptember 1, when very 

 few new weeds start, has given good results. A comparison of alfalfa seed 

 from different sources resulted in the best crop from Utah-grown seed, followed 

 by see<l secured from Wyoming, Kansas, and Arizona. 



Four acres of timothy and clover gave for the first crop a yield of 4.1 tons 

 of hay per acre. The income from the field after deducting the cost of seeding 

 and harvesting was $2oG.i)S. A second cutting made in September yielded 10.4 

 tons of fodder, or 2.3 tons of rowen hay, thus making a total for the season of 

 4.7 tons of hay per acre. On a 2-acre plat of oats and peas 2.99 tons of hay 

 were secured per acre and the cost per ton was $7.32. 



A 4-year rotation experiment was begun to determine whether the loss of 

 soluble plant food and surface washing can not be prevented by growing cover 

 crops while at the same time the fertility of the soil is increased. The first 

 year all plats in the series were planted with Gold Standard Learning corn. 

 Two plats received cover crops, one being sown with rye and the other wath 

 crimson clover. The results of the first year showed that of the plats receiving 

 a cover crop the smallest yield was secured on the plat growing rye and the 

 highest yield on the plat growing crimson clover. Exactly the same minimum 

 and maximum yields, however, were secured on two of the check plats. 



The results of a fertilizer rotation experiment seemed to show a little advan- 

 tage from the application of raw phosphates, but as the results are only of 

 one year's work no definite conclusion is drawn. A fertilizer test with silage 

 corn indicated that basic slag as a source of phosphoric acid produced very 

 satisfactory yields. 



The cost of growing and cutting corn, and filling the silos, as determined at 

 the station shows that the total expense of producing silage per ton amounted 

 to .$3.50. 



The method of making hay caps and their use in curing alfalfa hay is de- 

 scribed, and the good results secured are pointed out. 



Experiments with different crops, K. Malkoff {Ghod. Otchef. Drzhav. 

 Zeml. Opltna Stantz. Saclovo [Jahresber. Stautl. Landic. Vers. Stat. Sadovo], 

 // (1906), pp. IV+IJ/G, pis. 8). — The leading varieties of cereals and their average 

 yields per hectare for 3 or 4 years at the experiment station of Sadovo were as 

 follows: Connnon red domestic and Noe winter wheats each 3,070 kg., Petkus 

 rye 3,550 kg., native G-rowed winter barley 3,800 kg., Columbus oats 2,430 kg., 

 a native variety of corn 2,49f) kg., a native variety of rice 4,130 kg. rough rice. 

 Early Rose potatoes 2,128 kg., and olive-shaped fodder beet 40,100 kg. 



Native and Turkestan cotton gave heavier yields than Texas cotton, but in 

 length of fiber the American variety led the other sorts. 



Alfalfa as a crop for Massachusetts, W. P. Brooks (Massachusrtts fita. Bui. 

 120, pp. 'I'l-'n, fi{/s. 2). — A brief general discussion is given on the efforts of 

 growing alfalfa in Massachusetts. It is stated that although until recently the 

 results have in all cases been quite discouraging, the station has at present 

 three small areas of alfalfa from 1 to 3 years of age which all gave excellent 

 crops in 19(i7. Pot experiments conducted at tlie station have brought out 

 clearly the importance of liming the soil for alfalfa culture, and the results of 



