FIELD CROPS. 539 



italicimi)^ Pei'eiinial ryo gra.s.s (Z. i^erenne)^ reed fescue {Fextuai elatior 

 arimdinacea)^ Eiii>'li,sh ])lue «Tass {J^\ prafenKis)^ orchard g'rass {Dactijlh 

 glomerata)^ Hungarian alfalfa and alfalfa from India and Africa, 

 Japanese barnyard millet, .sorghuiri, Kafir corn, mile maize, and cow- 

 peas. The cultural operations employed with a luunber of thes(^ crops 

 are given, together with notes on the grazing of horses on the -lapan- 

 ese barnyard millet and of feeding sorghum to milch cows. The 

 sorghums were greatly relished by the cows and temporarily increased 

 the milk flow. Feeding the sorghum with alfalfa was found more 

 desirable than feeding either alone. Kafir corn fodder containing 

 fully ripe seed was relished by horses. The leaves and seeds were 

 eaten clean and likewise the upper portions of the stalks. No differ- 

 ence was noticed in the relative growth of brown and white Kafir corn. 



The effect of a second irrigation of alfalfa to induce germination 

 was studied. After the first irrigation the plats formed a hard surface 

 crust about i in. thick and cracked into large cakes in drying. Some 

 seed germinated and were just showing their seed leaves in the cracks 

 when a portion of the plat received a second irrigation. Plats thus 

 irrigated gave a poorer stand of alfalfa without exception than those 

 irrigated but once. This was due largely to the filling up of the 

 cracks in the crust with sediment and thus smothering many of the 

 young alfalfa plants. 



Observations on the loss in the first stages of growth of alfalfa 

 plants due to crowding show that the alfalfa plant is extremely tena- 

 cious of life and has great endurance in extremes of drought, there 

 being but few deaths even where the plants were most crowded. 



The value of the cowpea as a hay crop and green manure is dis- 

 cussed and some cultural data given on inconclusive experiments in 

 growing this crop at the station. 



Results of manuring, C. E. Mead {Wew Mexico Sta. BaJ. J3, j7p. 

 Jf-l-J^d). — Oats were grown on land a part of which had 1)orne a crop 

 of hairy vetch the preceding season. At the time of heading the oats 

 on the vetch portion of the plat averaged about 3i ft. in height, while 

 the remaining portion of the plat averaged about 2 ft. At harvest the 

 yield on the vetch land was 25 bu. per acre, while the remainder of 

 the plat gave but 18 bu. per acre. 



In another experiment oats were grown after field peas, the vines 

 and pods of which had been turned under. The yield of grain from 

 this plat was at the rate of 47 bu. per acre. The yield the preceding 

 season on similar soil not fertilized with pea vines was at the rate of 

 9,6 bu. per acre. 



Other experiments with corn grown on land fertilized with liarnyard 

 manure and on new land are reported. The barnyard manure had a 

 good effect on the physical condition of the soil and considerably 

 increased the yield of corn, al)out the same results being obtained as 

 when corn was grown on new laud. 



