340 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The object of the second series of experiments was the same as the 

 first, but was confined to the second and third, mowings. In all cases 

 there was an increase, which for the second mowing was 21.5 per cent 

 with nitrate of soda, 17.5 with kainit, 45.G with phosphate-gypsum, 

 and 21.9 with gypsum alone; and for the third mowing 31 per cent 

 with nitrate of soda, 23.4 with kainit, 34.3 with phosphate-gypsum, 

 and 6 with gypsum. 



In the third series of experiments an attempt was made to ascertain 

 to what extent oats as a cover plant decreases the yield of clover with 

 timothy. The yield of hay was 84.9 per cent less with the cover than 

 without it. — P. FIREMAN. 



Experiments with field crops, 1897, G. E. Morrow and J. H. 

 Bone (Oklahoma Sta. Bui. 33, pp. 18, Jigs. 3). — Experiments were made 

 with corn, oats, cotton, Kafir corn, niillo maize, Jerusalem corn, sweet sor- 

 ghum, castor beans, sugar beets, stock or ''pie 1 ' melons, alfalfa, cowpeas, 

 soy beans, grasses, and clovers. Popular notes are given on these crops 

 and the results of experiments are tabulated. Kafir corn planted April 

 17 and May 1 gave an average yield per acre of 22.3 bu. of grain, while 

 plats planted May 15 and 22 yielded 3S.2 bu. The amount of stover 

 produced per pound of grain was (3.1 and 3.4 lbs., respectively. The 

 largest yield of grain (53.3 bu. per acre) was obtained from the plat on 

 which stalks were 3 in. apart in rows 3 ft. apart. In general the plats 

 with the greatest number of stalks gave the largest yield of stover. 



A comparison of Indian corn and Kafir corn showed that Kafir corn 

 was much more drought-resisting, but that it grew much less rapidly. 



Oats were sown at different rates, but the yields varied little. Of the 

 9 varieties grown the best yielding were Texas Eed, Negro Wonder, 

 Lincoln, and Black Russian in the order given. 



Castor beans planted April 13 yielded 12.9 bu. per acre, which was a 

 better yield than was obtained from later plantings. 



Report of the agriculturist, J. H. Shepperd (Xorth Dakota Sta. 

 Bpt. 1897, pp. 51-79). — The work here described is in continuation of 

 that reported a year ago (E. S. R., '.>, p. 741). The continuation of 

 the variety testing of wheat, oats, barley, and corn did not change the 

 relative rank of the best-yielding varieties reported last year. 



Red Kafir corn, white Kafir corn, millo maize, durra, and Jerusalem 

 corn, tested for 4 years, have failed to ripen fully during any season. 

 The results of cultivation experiments are given in abstract form from 

 a former bulletin (E. S. R., 9, p. 931). Awnless brome grass {Bromus 

 biennis) has given promising results for a number of years. Timothy 

 and clover sown with this grass were crowded out by its vigorous 

 growth. "It should be seeded at the rate of 20 lbs. per acre without 

 a nurse crop." A field of timothy and red clover injured by heavy 

 rains yielded about 1^ tons of hay per acre. The results of a rotation 

 experiment are given in the following table: 



