FIELD CROPS. 31 



shade best, soy beans showed the fircatest resistance to fungus diseases and 

 c-tiwiieas to insect enemies, liairy \('tch stood tramping best, rye was the hardiest 

 crop, turnips were most efl"ectiv(> in lowering the moisture content of the soil 

 in la(e snnuiicr and early tall, crimson clover .sliowed the greatest efficiency in 

 holding soil moisture, and Canada iieas in holding snow. No choice is made 

 as to protection against deep freezing of the ground. It is stated that n cover 

 crop decreases the depth of freezing by at least one-half. Moisture determina- 

 tions made in the spring showed that the average moisture content of the 

 covered ground was considerably more than that of the bare ground. 



The improvement of mountain meadows, .1. S. (^otton {IJ. ,S. Dcpt. Af/r., 

 Bur. ridiit Indus. Bill. 121, pp. 29, pin. .'/). — The results reported in this bulletin 

 show that m(>untain meadows may be greatly improved by reseeding with tame 

 grasses, and that for this purpose timothy and redtop are best. It is stated that 

 the introduction of timothy into a devasted mountain meadow will increase its 

 acre-carrying capacity for a 1,200-pound steer at least 1 month and ordinarily 2 

 months. The cost of introducing timothy is given at 95 cts. per acre, and the 

 value of the pasturage is estimated at 25 cts. a month for each head of stock. 

 Redtop is valued mainly in reseeding places too wet for timothy. A mixture 

 of the two is considered valuable because timothy gives returns quickly, while 

 redtop is more permanent. These grasses should be sown in the late autumn 

 in order to save the expense of harrowing. 



The cost of introducing brome grass, tall fescue, and orchard grass, which 

 have proved well adapted to mountain meadows, is too great for their extensive 

 use. Mountain brome grass readily I'e-covers the gravelly hillside areas de- 

 nuded by over-grazing, but other grasses are preferred by the stock. In intro- 

 ducing large-seeded grasses, like brome grass, mountain brome grass, etc., har- 

 rowing is almost necessary. Plowing is ordinarily impracticable and some- 

 times positively injurious. Drainage, partial irrigation, and the tilling in of 

 old washouts are sometimes aids to meadow improvement. 



Building up a run-down cotton plantation, D. A. Brodie ( U. S. Dept. Agr., 

 Farmers' Bui. 326, pp. 22, figs. 9). — An account is given of the progress made 

 in .*> years in changing a run-down cotton plantation in Arkansas into a profit- 

 able stock and hay farm. In 1905 this farm produced one- fourth of a bale of 

 cotton and 15 bu. of corn per acre; in 190G, after a crop of cowpeas, it produced 

 one-lialf of a bale of cotton and STj bu. of corn per acre, and in 1907, after a 

 crop of cowpeas. it produced one-half of a bale of cotton and 34 bu. of corn 

 per acre. After cowpeas and 300 lbs. of commercial fertilizer it produced 

 nearly Ihi-ee-fonrths of a bale of cotton per acre, and after cowpeas and clover 

 continuously for 2 years 1 bale of cotton to the acre. 



Deep plowing had no detrimental effect upon the yields, and planting cotton 

 and corn in check rows and cultivating both ways saved seed and labor and 

 did away with chopping and hoeing. Red clover proved successful in this lati- 

 tude as a soil builder and as a hay and seed crop, but cowpeas were the most 

 im])ortant factor in building up the fertility of the soil. Planting the cowpeas 

 in rows 3 ft. 6 in. apart is reconmiended as saving seed and bringing greater 

 returns in yields of seed and hay. 



Crimson clover, bur clover, and the vetches were successful as winter cover 

 crops after inoculation had been thoroughly established, but early planting in 

 the autumn was absolutely necessary for the best results with these winter 

 ci-ops. It is stated that on worn-out soils from 2 to 3 years are required to inoc- 

 ulate the land with the proper bacteria for the different leguminous crops. 



Small farms in the corn belt, J. A. AVarren ( [/. S. Dept. Agr., Fanners' Bui. 

 ii2o, pp. 29, figs. 3). — Descripticms are given of two 40-acre farms and one 20- 

 aere farm in Nebraska, with an account of the methods of crop rotation and 



