FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 53 " 



tenths tons of cured hay per acre for three years. A New Jersey ex- 

 periment announces a growth of 221/0 tons of green feed, equal to six 

 and two-thirds tons of cured hay per acre. It has been grown with 

 success in Michigan, but the fact that it has not yet replaced red clover 

 still remains. Perhaps the fact that the Michigan farmer is unable to 

 raise the seed of alfalfa with profit has stood somewhat in the way 

 of its introduction here. It has, however, the quality of remaining 

 well in the ground, and is not run out as quickly as the red or man- 

 moth clover. Objection is often made to it as a hay crop, which ob- 

 jection is probably due to the fact that sufficient care has not been ex- 

 ercised in handling it. . It must be cut just at the right time, and if 

 allowed to mature a day more than it sliould its feeding quality is seri- 

 ously impaired. The stems become woody, the leaves drop off, and the 

 feeding quality is practically destroyed. 



SAND LUCERNE. 



Sand lucerne is a plant resembling alfalfa so closely that only the 

 careful botanist can discern the difference. Its scientific name is med- 

 icago media, while the alfalfa is medicago sativa. It has been growing 

 on the experimental plats at the College since 1897, producing four 

 cuttings in 1898, amounting to 8,480 pounds of cured hay per acre, and 

 four cuttings in 1899, producing 10,580 pounds of cured hay per acre. 

 The roots of this plant are strong and woody and penetrate to the depth 

 of several feet into the soil. We removed one last year to the depth 

 of seven and one-half feet, at which point it was about three-sixteenths 

 of an inch in diameter. This grew on very light sand soil, which for 

 growing ordinary farm crops is the poorest on the College farm. 



cow PEAS. 



This is a Southern plant, but it is being slowly acclimated to North- 

 ern altitudes. We already have Several varieties that will ripen their 

 seeds in Michigan, the most promising of which are the early Blackeye, 

 the Mount Olive, the Red Ripper, and the Warren's Early. It is our 

 observation that as they are made accustomed to the' Northern climate 

 and encouraged to ripen their seeds, the general growth of the 

 plant is somewhat stunted. If one wishes to grow cow peas for green 

 manuring and soil renovating purposes, it would be better to procure 

 seeds of the Clay, Whippoorwill and Wonderful varieties, without hope 

 of maturing seeds, purchasing the seed from the far South. We raised 

 cow peas in 1899 at the Experiment Station, though the yields were 

 extremely low. The Blackeye variety produced 9,600 pounds per acre, 

 which upon analysis showed the presence of 62 pounds of nitrogen. 

 It is safe to say that had the season been a normal one in the matter 

 of rain during the growing season of this crop, the yield would 

 have been doubled. It should be understood that cow peas are very 

 tender plants, and must be grown between the periods of spring and 

 fall frosts, for they succumb at the earliest approach of freezing 

 weather. 



SOY BEANS. 



These are sometimes called soja beans, either of which names seems 

 to be equally proper. The soy bean grows similar to the cow 



