Results of Winter Cereal Experiments. 53 



the silo in October. In any ordinary season in these parts an after- 

 math of vetches will spring- np and will afford very nseful grazing, 

 or may be ploughed in as a green niannre. 



In a good season at this institution a fair crop of seed has been 

 obtained from the second growth of vetch. Owing to the ravages of 

 the caterpillar, especially on soil which had previously carried 

 legumes, this is considered about the safest method of producing vetch 

 seed in these parts. 



Crops of vetch seed have, however, been successfully grown on 

 areas of this farm where legumes had not been planted for some con- 

 siderable time previously, away from any source of infestation by the 

 green caterpillar. In this case the vetches were sown early in April 

 (a plan similar to that adopted for peas) so that the seed could harden 

 before the caterpillar pest is at its worst. 



Mention should be made of the fact that cojumercial vetch seed 

 may contain seed of the many varieties of wild vetch. These are 

 troublesome plants as weeds, especially in a wheat crop. As the seed 

 of one of our commonest wild vetches found here has a diameter about 

 equal to the thickness of a wheat kernel, wheat is not readily cleaned 

 of these seeds by winnowing. 



Stock w^ill readily eat the wild vetch when green, so that the 

 weed can be kept under by grazing the stubble and cultivated fallow 

 (" braak ") lands with sheep or cattle. 



Summary. 



1. Taking into consideration both palatability of hay and yield 

 per acre, combination of the various varieties of oats and vetches have 

 been found the best for hay. 



2. Hairy vetch and Algerian oats have consistently given the 

 highest yield of hay. 



3. Where an earlier maturing crop is desired, hairv vetch should 

 be substituted by spring or French winter in combination with 

 Burt, Algerian, or Texas oats, vide results 1916, 1917, 1918, and 1919. 



4. For ensilage a mixture of Smyrna oats and spring or French 

 winter vetch can be recommended in addition to the mixtures 

 mentioned under 2 and 3. 



5. Rye, barley, wheat, and field peas have not been found desir- 

 able crops for hay mixtures. 



G. To obtain maximum yields of mixed hay i>er acre with oats 

 and vetches, no less than 50 lb. oats should be sown per acre. 



7. The quantities of oats and vetch seed recominended to be sown 

 are 50 lb. oats and 20 lb. vetch per acre. 



Seeding Experiments. 

 Drillinf] versus Broadcasting of Seed, and Fertilizer. 



Experiments with cereal crops to compare ihe system of drilling 

 in seed and fertilizer with that of broadcasting both by hand have 

 yielded results which prove very definitely the advantage of drilling. 



Results are appended in Table YTIT. 



