FIELD CROPS. 141 



The reHult.s of ii (i-year rotation experiment completed tlii;^ t-eason are jiiven for the 

 entire period. The rotation consisted of wheat, clover, barley, root crops, oats, and 

 peas. No fertilizer was applied to any of the crops. The general conclnsion was that 

 the fertility of the land had been maintained. The rotation is, however, not con- 

 sidered practical and the Mork is to be continued in another form. 



Report on field crops, J. H. Shepperd and A. ]M. Tex Evck {yorth. Ihtkota >!tK. 

 Rpt. 1902, pp. 66-132).— A. general description is given of the w'ork of the agricul- 

 turtd department for 1902, and the results obtained in the different experiments^ are 

 presented in tables and discussed. 



A review of the plant breeding work of the station shows that the nursery during 

 the season contained the following number of individual plants: Wheat 10,800, oats 

 3,600, barley 3,200, buckwheat 1,525, flax 4,800, millet 2,300, and grass and alfalfa 

 2,002. During the season seed of improved grains and potatoes was sent to 119 

 farmers. 



Notes are given on the growth at the station of red clover from \aiious States and 

 countries and of common Turkestan and Grimm alfalfa. 



Forty-eight varieties of macaroni, fife and blue stem wheats were tested. In yield- 

 ing capacity the macaroni varieties stood first. The average yields of the 3 best pro- 

 ducing varieties of each class were 32.6, 26.8 and 23 bu. per acre for the macaroni, 

 life and blue stem varieties, respectively. The results for 9 years show that the 

 blue stem varieties gave an average yield of 24.7 bu. and the life varieties of 24.3 bu. 

 per acre. In 1901 and 1902 the average yields per acre for the leading variety in each 

 class was as follows: Yellow Gharnoyka macaroni wheat 31.9 bu.; Selected Minne- 

 sota No. 285 fife 27.6 bu., and Haynes Pedigree blue stem 26.1 bu. Sowing on April 

 30 gave better results than sowing on later dates, but there was only a slight differ- 

 ence in the yields for April 30 and May 9 and 15. 



Forty varieties of oats were tested, and the best yields were obtained from the 

 earliest and the latest sorts. Sixty Day stood at the head of the list with a yield of 

 72.2 bu. per acre, followed by Selected Tartarian with 63.9 bu. This same variety 

 also gave the largest average yield for the last 2 years. The data for all varieties is 

 given in tables. 



The results with barley for 9 years indicate ]Mansluu-y six-rowed to be one of the 

 best varieties. This season 19 varieties were grown, Houston Golden Queen leading 

 in productiveness with a yield of 59.4 bu. per acre.. For the past 2 seasons ]Mand- 

 scheuri, Manshury, Minnesota No. 87, Barnard, Minnesota No. 32, and Silver King, 

 in the order given, have produced the best average yields. 3IcEwan hulless has 

 been the best producer in its class. 



North Dakota enuner, a variety gr(jwn in the State f<ir a number of years, has 

 given better results than imported varieties. 



In the exi)eriments with flax selected lUissian led with a yield of 25.9 bu. per 

 acre, the heaviest yield on record at the station. Selected Riga produced long straw 

 with few branches and little seed and an extra quality of fiber. The results of 

 seeding experiments seemed to favor seeding less than 3 pecks per acre. The largest 

 yield was obtained this season from the earliest sowing, which was made May 24, 

 but nearly as large yields were obtained from sowings made June 17 and 23. The 

 results of growing flax and wheat as a mixture showed an average yield of 14.3 bu. 

 for wheat alone and 14.5 bu. of wheat and 3.9 bu. of flax for the mixture. The 

 results of all trials apparently favor sowjng at the rate of 3 to 4 pecks of wheat Avith 

 1.5 to 2 pecks of flax per acre. 



The test with millet comprised 21 varieties, including Russian l)room-corn millets 

 and varieties under selection by the station. The object of the selection is the pro- 

 duction of good crops of forage, and North Dakota No. 2 is ])roving excellent in that 

 direction. In addition to the work with millets this season a trial if corn, millet, 

 peas, oats, barley, and enuner, sown alone and in condjination, was made to deter- 

 mine the comparative value for fodder. 



