62 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



suits. Red-top, Kentucky blue-grass, orchard grass, alsike, and white clover are now 

 largely grown. A mixture of oats, wheat, and barley is quite extensively raised for 

 feed. But little rye or buckwheat is raised in the southern part of Maine. In addi- 

 tion to the other grasses given, foul meadow and blue jomt are extensively grown 

 on low and swampy land. 



Grains: Spring plowing is sometimes begun earlier than May 1. A mixture of 

 oats, wheat, and barley is quite extensively raised for feed. Peas are sometimes 

 added to make it more valuable. 



Among small grains oats have much the largest average; barley comes next. 

 ^Mieat, rve, and buckwheat receive little attention. Large quantities of sweet and 

 Dent corn are grown to feed while in a green state. 



Vegetables : Our chief vegetables are cabbage, beets, carrots, tomatoes, and tur- 

 nips. The date of planting gardens is about the middle of May, and all the Tarieties 

 are planted about the same time. Potatoes are grown to a greater extent in the 

 southwestern part of Maine than any other vegetable, but immense quantities of 

 cabbage are raised in a few towns in the southern portion. 



Pumpkins are grown for stock in all locahties. Squashes and tomatoes are grovm 

 by nearly every farmer^ and large quantities are raised by market gardeners in the 

 southern section. 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



Grasses and forage plants: Timothy, red-top, and clovers are the most popular 

 grasses. Hungarian and millet are sown as " catch crops" for forage. 



Grain: The grains are corn, oats, rye, barley, and wheat. 



Vegetables : Sweet corn is planted every ten days from April 10 to June 17. As a 

 general thmg vegetables are planted too early. Later planting would produce bet- 

 ter results. Among the best varieties of peas are First and Best and McLean's Ad- 

 vancer. 



MICHIGAN. 



Grasses and forage plants : The northern part of Michigan is second to none for 

 clover and grasses. Mammoth clover is gi'ownto some extent for plowing under. 

 In the southwestern part a field of alfalfa, sown for the 'first time last spring, stood 

 the summer drought better than red clover. Timothy is considered the best for hay. 

 Medium red clover preferred. 



Grain : There is no part of the State better for winter wheat than the northern 

 portion. Spring wheat is found to succeed better than fall wheat in average seasons. 

 In the central part of the State the Clawson is the most popular at present. Mar- 

 tin's Amber and Centennial are growing in favor. Welcome oats are good. The 

 Russian variety is a little late. Barley does well. What we need most is a g^ood and 

 early field corn. The flint varieties succeed best. The Dent varieties are rather 

 late. Corn planting begins about the 10th of May and continues up to the 1st of 

 June. One hundred bushels per acre is considered a good crop, but a hundred and 

 twenty bushels are not uncommon in favorable seasons with good cultivation. The 

 seasons are too short in the northern part of the State to mat"ureaLl varieties of corn 

 and potatoes. Early Concord sweet corn proved to be the best late sweet corn ever 

 planted in the southeastern part of the State. 



Vegetables : All vegetables do well here. Early Flat Dutch cabbage is always sure 

 to head, also the Winningstadt. The Hubbard squash is the best variety for winter. 

 The season in the northern part of the State is short and the growth of vegetables 

 very rapid. 



MINNESOTA. 



Grasses and forage plants : As yet we depend mostly on native gi-asses, though 

 some farmers are beginning to seed with timothy and red-top. 



Grain: Wheat, oats, barley, rye, and early corn are grown. No winter wheat is 

 raised. Spring wheat is sown as soon as the ground will permit. Fife and blue- 

 stem wheats and white Russian oats are the standards. Scotch Fife makes the best 

 flour under the new process. AVlieat and oats are almost invariably sown on fall 

 plowing. Spring plowing for corn and wheat is done from the 10th to the 25th of 

 May. Spring rye is raised to some extent. 



Vegetables : Potatoes and rutabagas are the main crop. Garden vegetables are 

 grown for home consumption. Marblehead squash and Stowell's evergreen sweet 

 corn are favorites. 



