I2q2 FORAGE CROPS, MEADOWS AXD PASTURES 



Chemical composition {relatively to dry matter) of the hay of Tricholaena rosea 



and Phleum pratense. 



T. rosea. P. pratense 



Cellulose 40.72 Oq 32.86 % 



Ash 5.56 5.82 



Protein 8.23 7.87 



Nitrogenous extract 43-47 50.40 



Fats (ether extract) 1.99 3.05 



When the seeds crop is looked after and carefully handled, its quality 

 is excellent in Florida. For proper keeping of the seed it is essential to dry 

 it rapidly and completely. 



T. rosea exhibits numerous and very divergent varieties : the United 

 States Department of Agriculture is at present carr3'ing out a field trial 

 with a view to producing standard improved types. Some varieties were 

 also recently introduced into Brazil. 



980 - Experimental Studies in Italy, for determining the Cultivation Value of Two 



Wild Lucernes. — Josa G., in V Italia a'^ricola, 53rd Year, Xo. 6, pp. 230-233, 3 tie;. Pia- 

 cenza, June 13, 1916. 



Scythe lucerne {Medicago sativa var. falcata) and variable lucerne 

 (ilf . sativa var. varia) have repeatedh' been pointed out by ancient and mo- 

 dern Italian agriculturists as being likely plants for forming artificial grass- 

 lands on poor, dry, barren soils, especially in the Southern provinces. Up 

 to the present, however, no cultivation trials had been carried out. The 

 latter have now been undertaken by the Office of Travelling Agricultural 

 IvCCturers at Campobasso with seeds originating partly from the Abruzzi and 

 partly from the province of Campobasso. 



In the first year of cultivation (1911), there were no noteworthy wea- 

 ther events ; 1912 and 1913 were exceptionally dr>' years ; the two follow- 

 ing years were very rainy. Growth was from the outset poor and tardy 

 in the case of Medicago sativa var. falcata, mediocre for variable lucerne and 

 luxuriant for the M . sativa cultivated as a standard of comparison. These 

 differences were maintained during the entire period of the experiment and 

 were confirmed by the crop. The following are the conclusions : 



i) Scythe lucerne possesses very Httle citltivation value and both for 

 this reason and from other considerations, such as the difficulty of getting 

 in the crop and the coarse qualit}^ of the forage, it can only be used in mixtures 

 intended for the formations of permanent grasslands ; 



2) Variable ktcerne is more promising, and if it were selected and im- 

 proved by cultivation it might perhaps re])lace M. sativa in all those cases, 

 though they are few, for which the latter is unsuited; 



3) Wherever it is possible to cultivate M. sativa even with mediocre 

 results, the latter always exceeds what may be anticipated from the wild 

 lucernes. 



