FORAGE CROPS, MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



1617 



were sown with Grimm hicerne on ]\Iay 21st with a Planet drilling ma- 

 chine, in rows 6 inches apart and i'2 inch deep; at the rate of 17 14 lbs. of 

 seed per acre. 



Methods of inoculation. Two methods were adopted : 



i) On one plot the nitragin (17 ^2 oz) was mixed with the seed (3 14 oz) 

 and the mixture was sown in drills. The objection to this method was 

 that the dampness of the nitragin caused the drilling machine to work 

 badly. To mitigate this as far as possible a little dry sand was added 

 to the mixture, with good results. A non-inoculated plot served as a con- 

 trol. 



2) The same quantity of nitragin was incorporated with the soil 

 immediately biefore sowing. The nitragin was scattered by means of a 

 sieve, raked in, and the seed sown directly. Again a non-inoculated 

 plot was used as a control. 



Groit'th up to time of cutting. Diseases. Germination began three 

 days after sowing and was finished by the fifth day ; this was attributed 

 to the good qualit}^ of the seed and to the excellent condition of the soil, 

 which was in good heart. After this, no further growth took place until 

 July 16th, during the whole period of intense cold. Uniform growth fol- 

 lowed on all the experimental plots until October 23rd, b}* which time a 

 difference was evident beteen the inoculated and control plots. The for- 

 mer .^- ho wed a more tufted growth" and a deeper green colour. 



During the whole period of vegetative growth the climatic condi- 

 tions were not ver>' favourable. 



At the end of September the presence of a cryptogamic disease {Pseu- 

 dopeziza Medicaginis) was noticed. The inoculated plots showed a resist- 

 ance to this disease which can only be attributed to the nitragin. 



Chemical analysis. Nutritive value. — The figures set out in Table I 

 show that the difference in the composition of the crops from the inocu- 

 lated and non-inoculated plots is not great enough to be established by a 

 single analysis. The only well marked difference is that the crops from 

 the treated plots were larger than those from controls. (Table II). 



Table II. — Yields of Lucerne from Inoculated and non-inoadated plots. 



First cutting 



SecoDd cutting 



Yield per acre 



Green crop 



Air-dried 

 hay 



Hay 



green crop 



Yield per acre 



i) Nitragin mixed with seed 

 2) Nitragin mixed with ?oil 



Control to I 



Control to ^ 



lbs. 



6S21 

 6856 

 4083 



4057 



lbs. I per' cent. 



1 902 27.88 



2 003 29.21 

 I 193 29.22 



I 264 ■ 3 1. 1 4 



Green crop 



Air -dried 

 hay 



lbs. 



9856 

 10 921 



8 721 



7 744 



lbs. 



2 742 



3 096 

 2 345 

 2 162 



