1917] FIELD CROPS. 227 



Other cultural projects which are briefly noted include tests of subsoiling, 

 deep plowing, and packing the seed bed, a comparison of tractor and horse 

 plowing and disking, date of plowing, and disking stubble tests. Final conclu- 

 sions are not yet drawn. 



In variety tests with oats, 1911-1916, the seven highest-yielding varieties, 

 Danish Trifolium, King Oscar, Improved American, Canadian 429, Golden 

 Beauty, Swedish Victory, and Early Everett averaged over 55 bu. per acre. 

 Early Champion, Kischener, Big Four, New Zealand, and Swedish Select, the 

 five lowest-yielding varieties, averaged under 45 bu. per acre. 



Swanhals barley, with an average yield of 40.1 bu., was first of the two- 

 rowed types, with Gutecon lowest with a yield of 24.6 bu. The highest-yielding 

 six-rowed type was a Russian variety, which yielded 44 bu. per acre, with the 

 lowest yield from Eagle No. 913, 21.82 bu. 



With wheat, the three highest-yielding varieties, Minnesota No. 951, Marquis, 

 and Kubanka, averaged over 24 bu. per acre. The four lowest-yielding varieties, 

 Minnesota No. 169, Rysting, Powers, and Eames, averaged from 15 to 18 bu. 



Field tests with millet, field peas, .soy beans, clover, and alfalfa have con- 

 tinued for a period of 20 years to determine the adaptability of these crops to 

 northwestern Minnesota. Variety tests were begun in 1913. The highest yield 

 of forage was secured from Early Amber cane, 10,757 lbs. per acre, in 1916, 

 with Sudan grass second with a yield of 7,454 lbs. Southern German millet 

 gave a four-year average yield of 7,394.25 lbs. Blue Scotch No. 1436 field pea 

 gave the highest average yield, 13 bu., of the varieties tested. 



In 1915, 12 varieties of grasses, 4 of legumes, and 7 combinations of grasses 

 and legumes were seeded separately and harvested for the first time in 1916. 

 Of the grasses sovpn alone, the highest yield was secured from meadow fescue, 

 6,780 lbs. per acre. Sweet clover, with a yield of 6,380 lbs., was highest for 

 the legumes. The highest yielding combination consisted of 10 lbs. Bromus 

 inermis, 6 lbs. tall meadow oat grass, 2 lbs. white clover, and 4 lbs. alfalfa, 

 and gave a yield of 6,660 lbs. per acre. 



In corn variety tests. Northwestern Dent gave the highest grain yields for 

 the two years reported, 1914 and 1916, with 46.87 and 38.4 bu., respectively. 



Tests with flax for fiber, conducted in cooperation with the Office of Fiber 

 Investigations, U. S. Department of Agriculture, in an effort to develop strains 

 of fiber flax adapted to northwestern Minnesota, are reported. Hemp has been 

 successfully grown for fiber at the station. 



The following are the highest average yields per acre secured in crop-rotation 

 tests from 1911 to 1916, inclusive : Wheat, 22.84 bu. in the three-year rotation, 

 with a yield of 16.25 bu. for continuous wheat ; oats, 57.7 bu. for the seven-year 

 rotation, with a yield of 53.8 bu. for oats grown continuously (two-year average) ; 

 barley, 43.3 bu. for continuous barley (two-year average) and 39.03 bu. for the 

 seven-year rotation ; flax, 15.73 bu. in the seven-year rotation ; corn, 39.83 bu. in 

 the seven-year rotation, with a yield of 34.33 bu. when grown continuously ; 

 potatoes, 98.2 bu. in the four-year rotation (two-year average) without manure, 

 fertilizer, or legume ; and hay, first year, 4,765 lbs. in the seven-year rotation, 

 and second year, 1,918 lbs. in the five-year rotation. 



Data are presented showing the results of commercial fertilizer tests with 

 and without manure for crops grown in rotation for 1914, 1915, and 1916. No 

 definite conclusions have been drawn. 



Eradication of quack grass has been accomplished through severe bare fallow, 

 followed by corn. 



A number of potato variety tests are reported. Early Ohio is deemed the 

 best market variety for this region, while Irish Cobbler Is a high yielder and 



