354 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Top-dressing with nitrate of soda increased the yield of both wheat and rye, though 

 with profit only in the latter case. 



Alfalfa in Michigan, C. D. Smith (Michigan Sta. Bui. 225, pp. 133-148, figs. 3).— 

 This bulletin reviews the history of experiments with alfalfa at the station and 

 throughout the State, summarizes the results obtained, and from the data secured 

 presents conclusions with reference to the culture of the crop. 



At the station alfalfa seemed to give as good results on light sand as on well-drained 

 clay. Although artificial inoculation was not used at the station, the roots of the 

 plants were practically in all cases provided with nodules, but from some parts of the 

 State it was reported that nodules were not present, and it is therefore considered 

 best to inoculate the seed or soil when sowing. 



It is recommended that 20 lbs. of seed be used per acre when the germination is 

 above 80 per cent, and larger quantities when it is below 80 per cent. In the south- 

 ern part of the State sowing in May seems to be preferred, while in the portion per- 

 manently covered w T ith snow during the winter sowing in August is thought to be 

 best. 



Tests wuth seed bought in the market, Utah and Colorado grown seed, sand lucern, 

 and Turkestan, showed that Turkestan gave smaller yields than the others but proved 

 hardier. Sand lucern apparently stood the winter as well as Turkestan, and Utah 

 and Colorado grown seed gave results which differed but little. Clipping the crop 

 in October, when the aftergrowth since August 30 was fully knee-high, and leaving 

 the clippings as a mulch was a serious injury to the crop of the following season, 

 and indicated that under the conditions alfalfa should not be mowed later than the 

 last week in August. 



Analyses of samples from 3 cuttings show that the composition of the cuttings 

 made June 7 and July 11 differed but little, while the third, made August 30, was 

 lower in ash, higher in total protein, but much reduced in true proteids, to which the 

 hay owes its feeding value. 



Of 76 culture tests with alfalfa made by farmers in the State, 32 were absolute 

 failures, 24 were partially successful for a single year, and 16 for 2 or more consecu- 

 tive years. Winterkilling, June grass, and dodder, are given as the chief enemies of 

 the crop in Michigan. 



Legumes other than alfalfa, C. D. Smith (Michigan Sta. Bui. 227, pp. 165- 

 184). — Culture tests with a large number of leguminous crops are briefly reported 

 and an analytical key to vetches is given. 



The results with lupines, kidney vetch, goat rue, crimson clover, and vetches indi- 

 cate that these crops are of some value as green manures, especially on sandy soils. 

 Crimson clover, serradella, sainfoin, and Japan clover gave some promise as a food 

 supply for stock. Sweet clover, fenugreek, Astragalus sinensis, sulla, peanuts, chick- 

 pea, and lentils are apparently of no value for Michigan. 



The tests at the station with Lathyrus sylvestris indicate that this crop is of little 

 value, either as a fodder plant or for green manure. Iron, Xew Era, Whip-poor-will, 

 and Black Eye cowpeas are recommended for plowing under to enrich Michigan soil 

 in nitrogen. These varieties ripen seed only in unusually warm seasons with frosts 

 late in the fall. Of the soy beans tested, Medium Green, Early Black, and Yellow 

 produced abundant forage, and Ogemau, Ito San, and Government 9413 are good 

 types for seed production. 



Hairy vetch at the station has not been a success as a forage crop. Vicia pi eta, 

 flowering early in July and fruiting in the middle of August, produced a large yield 

 of seed but only a small amount of green forage, while V. canadensis, V. angustvfolia, 

 and V. peregrina yielded abundant foliage and a smaller amount of seed. V. dispermp,, 

 V. biennis, V. gerardii, and V. globosa also produced considerable green forage. V. 

 faba is considered totally unsuited to Michigan. It is reported that vetch has become 

 a weed difficult to exterminate on the college farm and elsewhere. 



