FIELD CROPS. 



717 



year of all varieties tested. The average yields per acre for 1890, 1891, 

 1892, and 1893 were as follows: 



Average yield per acre for 4 years of varieties of oats. 



Influence of maturity upon the yield of dry matter in soiling 

 rye, H. J. Waters {Pennsylvania Sta. lipt. 1S93, xyp. 52-51). — This 

 experiment was conducted on 9 plats each by 100 ft. On 3 plats rye 

 was cut just before heading-, May 19; on 3 plats it was harvested 

 when three quarters headed, May 24; on the other plats the crop was 

 cut when in blossom. May 31. The rye cut before heading yielded 

 1,624.94 lbs. of dry matter per acre; that three quarters headed 2,702.79 

 lbs.; and that cut when in blossom 3,763.94 lbs. Assuming that the 

 3 lots of rye were equally digestible, the calculated yield of digestible 

 matter per acre was as follows : 



Yield of digestible matter per acre in rye cut at different stages of growth. 



As much digestible dry matter was produced by 1 acre of rye cut 

 when in bloom as by 2.34 acres cut 12 days previously and just before 

 heading. 



Australian salt bush, M. E. Jaffa {California i^ta. Bui. 105, pp. 

 10-16). — The Australian salt bush {Atriplex semihaccata), grown at 

 the Tulare Substation on someof the worst alkali spots on the grounds, 

 yielded at the rate of about 5 tons of dry matter per acre. It is readily 

 Ijropagated by seed. Sheep and hogs eat the green plant readily, and 

 horses and cattle soon get accustomed to it when mixed with other food 

 atfirst. The following table gives the proximate composition of thisplaut: 



