FIELD CROPS. 37 



to 3.1 tons of hay per acre. There was a loss of from 5,000 to 6,000 lbs. in the 

 produftion of hay per acre as compared with the weight of the green crop. Soy 

 beans did not prove as profitable a crop as cowpeas. Japanese millet yielded 2.62 

 tons, but the imported Japanese varieties did not give satisfactory yield.s. Rape on 

 fall-plowed land yielded 8i tons of green crop per acre. 



Of 10 varieties of spring oats, Texas Rust Proof gave the largest yield of grain, 

 42.26 bu. })er acre, followed by Big Four with 36.38 l)u., which variety also yielded 

 the most straw, 1.93 tons per acre. Early sowing of both oats and barley gave bet- 

 ter results than late sowing. Wellman Fife spring wheat stood at the head of varie- 

 ties tested with a yield of 17.91 bu. per acre. The highest yields of digestible pro- 

 tein per acre were as follows: Cowpeas, 504 lbs.; soy beans, 380 lbs., and corn, 352 

 lbs. Corn was richer in carbohydrates and fat than soy beans or cowpeas. Sorghum 

 was inferior in digestible nutrients to most of the crops tested. The greatest draft 

 on the soil was made by the corn crop, which removed 144.3 lbs. of nitrogen, 52.8 

 lbs. of phosphatic acid, and 116.2 lbs. potash. Cowpeas came second, with 75.60 lbs. 

 of nitrogen, 28 lbs. phosphatic acid, and 86.6 lbs. potash. It is concluded that while 

 sorghum and millet do not draw so heavily on the soil as corn they are shallow 

 feeders and tend to exhaust the surface foot of soil. 



Experim.ents with forage crops, J. H. Skinner {Indiana Sta. Rpt. 1900, pj). 

 S9-94). — Red clover, alsike, alfalfa, and crimson clover were sown in 1898 on the 15th 

 of each month, from April to September, inclusive. In 1899 the work was contin- 

 ued, but owing to the season was a failure. The results indicate that red and alsike 

 clover may be sown as late as June 15. It was found more difficult to obtain a stand 

 of alfalfa and crimson clover than of red and alsike clover. All except alfalfa win- 

 terkilled. Alfalfa stood the winter nuich better the second year than the first, 

 when many of the roots were broken by the lifting of the soil, due to freezing. Cul- 

 ture and variety tests were made with cowi)eas, soy beans, sorghum, and corn, and 

 the results are briefly noted. Sorghum yielded the most forage, with common corn 

 second, and Stowell Evergreen third. 



Crops for summer forage, G. Heuze {Jour. Ayr. Prat., 1901, I, No. 8, pp. 248, 

 249). — A brief note on growing summer forage crops in Northern France. 



Influence of the size of the seed on the yield, Edler {Landic. Zlschr. Rhein- 

 jn-oriiiz, 2 {1901), No. 1, pp. 1-3). — This is a report on experiments with seeds weigh- 

 ing 50.9 and 33.9 gm. per thousand. In one test the same number of grains of the 

 heavy and the light seed were sown, and in another test equal weights of the two 

 kinds of seed. The heavy seed produced the heavier plants, having a larger number 

 of productive stems and producing heavier and a larger numlier of grains than plants 

 from the light seed. The conclusion is drawn that when equal weights of heavy and 

 light seeds are sown the heavier seed will generally give the best results. 



The improvement of cereal crops, T. H. Middleton {Jonr. Neivcastle Farmers' 

 cliih, 1001, pp. 1-29). — A paper on the improvement of field crops. 



Fertilizer experiments with different forms of potash {Jahrh. Dent. Landir. 

 Ge.scIL, l.'> [lUoO), pp. 27-42). — A review and discussion of experiments comparing 

 different i)()tash salts as fertilizers for cereals, sugar and forage l)eety, potatoes, and 

 meadows. The results of tests on marsh soils were also considered. The work here 

 reviewed wa.s done at different (Jernian experiment stations. 



Causes operative in the production of silage, S. M. Babcock and II. L. Rus- 

 sell ( Wiscomiu Sta. RjA. 1900, pp. 123-141) .—This is a report and a discussion of 

 experiments in making silage under laboratory conditions for the purpose of study- 

 ing the changes which occur in the formation of good silage. Work bearing on this 

 subjei-t done by other investigators is reviewed and the method of conducting these 

 experiments is described. The results show that good silage can be made under con- 

 ditions which exclude bacterial activity, and that the initial heating of silage is due 

 mainly to the respiratory i)rocesses of the cut plant tissues themselves. 



