432 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



[Vol. 40 



Rye grown as a cover crop after alfalfa attained a height of 2.9 ft. with no 

 manure, 3.2 ft. with manure applied at the rate of 8 tons per acre, and 3.8 ft. 

 with a 32-ton application, as compared with a growth of 1.3, 1.8, and 2.4 ft., 

 respectively, after feterita. Alfalfa yields following S- and 32-ton applications 

 of manure amounted to 5.47 and 6.25 tons per acre, respectively, as compared 

 with 4.47 tons without manure. Feterita following alfalfa showed a marked 

 superiority over that following a cover crop of rye and vetch with respect to 

 the number of plants maturing heads, yield, and height, weight, stalks, and 

 mature he*ds per plant, the greatest increases occurring without manure. 



Applying different amounts of water to alfalfa at intervals of 1, 2, and 3 

 weeks resulted in average yields of 5.98, 5.57, and 3.97 tons per acre, re- 

 spectively, for the period of 1914-1917, inclusive. The respective yields per 

 acre-foot of water amounted to 0.87, 1.41, and 1.41 tons. The use of 4 acre-in. 

 of water per application at Intervals of two weeks is deemed best. 



The arrangement and methods of cropping the lysimeters and observations 

 on the amount of moisture lost through percolation, evaporation, and transpira- 

 tion from the different soil types may be summarized as follows : 



Summary of results obtained in lysimrfi r invtsti'/atioiis. 



Lysimeters 1 to 4, inclusive, received 8.8G in. rainfall during the year, while 

 numbers 5 to 8, inclusive, which were started later in the season, received 3.76 

 in. During 1917 the irrigation water and percolate were tested for total 

 solids, and calcium, carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorids, sulphates, and nitrates 

 were found. It is stated that In no instance was the amount of salt constituents 

 added to the soil by Irrigation or that leached out by percolation Buffldent to 

 affect the soil materially. More nitrogen was leached from all lysimeters than 

 was added, except in number 5. A net loss of carbonates occurred in all 

 lysimeters except those having the fine and the coarse sand, respectively, while 

 more bicarbonates were lost than added to lysimeters 1 to 3, inclusive, and 

 more added to than lost from numbers 4 to 8. The sulphate represented a net 

 gain for all lysimeters, and the chlorids for all except number 1. There was 

 a net loss of nitrates in the percolate of all lysimeters. 



Brief notes are given on the germination and general appearance of 14 

 varieties of grasses and 2 of clover grown in a test of pasture grasses. Meadow 

 fescue, English rye-grass, tall oat-grass, timothy, orchard grass, western rye- 

 grass, and alslke and white clover are said to be promising sorts for use in 

 mixed pastures on saudy soil if the laud is prepared for frequent and even 

 irrigation. 



