206 



furnish 2:ood hosts upon which the formation of these spores may be 

 continued throughout the summer, and hence should be pastured 

 down or otherwise removed the same as other weeds." 

 BULLETIN No. 27, AUGUST, 1SS9. 



Field experiments with wheat, W. C, Latta, M. S. (pp. 3-l'2). — 

 Gom'paTison of nnrieties. — Twenty-three ^^arieties were compared. 

 Data as to the produce, time of ripening-, hardiness, strength of straw, 

 whether bearded or smooth chali', color of chalf and grain, and 

 weight of measured bushel of grain, are given in tables. In 1888 

 Egyptian, Micliigan Amber, and Velvet ChalT gave the largest yields; 

 in 1889, Egyptian, Golden Cross, and liaub's Blaciv Prolific were the 

 most i^roductive. Golden Cross and Sibley-s Imperial are thought 

 to be identical, as are also Mealy and Brown Smooth Velvet Chaff. 

 Ked Fultz, (xerman Emperor, and Michigan Amber are much alike. 



Qiunifltij of i<eed to the acre. — '' Experiments to ascertain the most 

 desirable rate of seeding have been conducted six years on ground of 

 aA'erage fertility, well j^repared and naturally drained, and with 

 good seed drilled in without fertilizers, in the last third of Septem- 

 ber." From 2 to S pecks of seed per acre have given an average 

 yield of 18 to 31 bushels during five years, the yield increasing steadily 

 with increased thickness of seeding. '" The evidence steadily accu- 

 mulates in favor of thick seeding. For rates higher than O j^ecks 

 the increase in yield is slight, but enough to justify the extra amount 

 of seed required." '" For lands in average condition I would not 

 reconnnend less than jjecks per acre, and doubt not that in many 

 cases thicker seeding would give better results." 



B)oadcast (lud drill seeding. — The results of four trials (1881-88) 

 of broadcast and drill seeding are given in a table. The yield of 

 drilled plats averaged -24.12 bushels, that of broadcast plats, 10.65, 

 making the gain from use of the drill 7.17 bushels ])er acre. The 

 broadcast plats were damaged most in Avinter, much of the seed being 

 left too near the surface and the roots being thus exposed by rain. 

 In the case of the drilled wheat the rain covers \\\) the exposed roots. 

 " The superiority of the drill, at least on the compact though natur- 

 ally drained soil of the vStation farm, is plainly manifest."" 



Large and small seed. — Seeds which passed through the seed screen 

 of a fanning mill were classed as *' small," those which did not pass 

 through as '' large." Large and small seeds were sown side by side 

 at the same rate. 6 jiecks per aci*e. The result was inconclusive, but 

 the experiment will be rejDeated. 



ConthtuoHS grain growing rs. rotation eropping. 



Two series of experiments were l)e.t,'uu in ISSO to determine the effect of grass 

 on tbe yields of grain crops in a rotation involving both. In one series there 

 are no grass crops, but wheat is grown every year on some plats, and every 

 second year on other plats in alternation with both oats and corn. A second 

 series is devoted to three rotations, five, six, and seven courses, respectively, 



