54 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP AGRICULTURE. 



RUSSIAN FORAGE PLANTS. 



Color-ado Agricultural College : leradella forage plant imported 

 from Kiissia is too slow of growth in tins region to be of any agri- 

 cultural value. 



Spergula maxima: This plant, like the last, lacks the vigor to be 

 of value here. 



Puff Bean: This forage plant from Russia is of extremely vigorous 

 habit, even on the thinnest soils, and is perhaps worthy of further 

 trial. It very closely resembles the English broad bean {Fata vul- 

 garis). 



Jaegar bean: This bean resembles the last very closely and is of 

 equally vigorous habit. Hogs ate both jjlants with avidity. 



Yellow lupin: !Sheep-f odder from Russia. A plant of medium 

 vigor, and, like all the lupins, impatient of much irrigation. Would 

 have but little value in competition with more vigorous species. 



Vicia villosa: Sheep-fodder from Russia. Height about 3 feet. 

 A vigorous grower; foliage abundant; flowers purple. Worthy of 

 further trial. 



Dakota Territory, Grant County: The F*c*a wZZosa is well suited 

 to this climate and soil. 



Indiana Experiment Station : Reports the Vicia villosa as the 

 only variety that proved of value. The drought affected the others. 



Iowa Experiment Station: Reports as follows: Vicia villosa, two 

 plats, each 4 by 12 feet, were sown May 5. A thin stand secured. 

 The growth was slow during May and June. July and August be- 

 ing exceedingly dry but little growth was made, though the plants 

 remained healthy, and when the fall rains came on they continued 

 their growth somewhat. The plants began flowering May 20, and 

 continued in flower as late as October 16. Stood in the plats 20 inches 

 high, but the scandent vines were much longer. Probably not over 

 a ton and a half of dry fodder was produced per acre. 



leradella: This variety, sown May 5, on May 22 was just starting; 

 on July 3 was 5 inches high and blossoming; on August 7 it was four- 

 teen inches high and was mov/n. The second growth stood -t inches 

 high August 21 and was beginning to blossom. Blossoming con- 

 tinued until October 2, when the plants stood 8 inches high. Plants 

 resist considerable frost. 



Spergula maxima: Sown May 5, came up May 13, and grew vig- 

 orously; June 12 it stood 14 inches high and was in bloom. It was 

 sown so thick that the plants were much crowded. 



Iowa, Kossuth County :. None promise well except the Blue lupins, 

 which survived the drought and made a tremendous growth after the 

 fall rains. 



Michigan Agricultural College: All made a fair growth for the 

 season, which was very dry, and seem promising enough to warrant 

 further trial. 



Missouri Agricultural College : The Puff and Jaegar beans were 

 not a success here. Vicia villosa perfectly suits soil here, and is a 

 very promising plant. 



Neu) York Experiment Station : None of these seem adapted to 

 the soil. 



Houghton Farm reports as follows: 



leradella: Growth small; kept fresh and green, despite the drought, 

 until after several hard frosts; eaten eagerly by cows; might prove 

 a good grazing plant. 



