66 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



February, or as soon as the weather will permit. We can stand a drought here longer 

 than in any other part of the world. Flat Dutch cabbage and drumhead, strapleaf 

 and white globe turnip are considered good varieties. Tomatoes of all varieties do 

 well, and melons are successfully grown, 



VIRGINIA. 



Grasses and forage plants : AlfaKa is splendid as a forage plant, and also for hay- 

 making purposes. Under favorable circumstances it cannot be suq^assed. It yields 

 more to the acre than any other known grass. It sliould be cut three or four times 

 during the season, or it \vill be too coarse and unfit for hay. Alsike is a fine grass 

 for hay. It grows, under ordinary cultivation, from 2 to 3 feet in height. The 

 blossora is so fragrant that it is a valuable honey plant. The meadow containing 

 the clover was literallv covered with bees from morning until night when in bloom. 

 Two fine crops were "produced during the season. Hay should be secured early 

 enough in the season to allow the meadows a good start before the summer drought 

 sets in, so that the roots may be well protected. This is not necessary with alfalfa, as 

 its roots extend into the gi'ound from 10 to 20 feet, where the soil is of a loose, calca- 

 reous character. Neither alfalfa nor alsike should be pastured until the fall rains 

 set in. Care should be taken not to pasture too late in the spring. 



Grain : From 8 quarts of seed wheat, sown on about one-sixth of an acre of land, 

 nearly 6 bushels of the red Mediterranean wheat were harvested. The sod was a 

 sandy loam, very deep, not very stiff, and was well adapted for the growth of alsike 

 and alfalfa clover. 



VERMONT. 



Grasses a7id forage plants : Red-top is becoming quite popular. Farmers have 

 found that it wiU grow and do well where timothy fails. The most popular corn 

 for fodder is white Sanford; Sto well's evergreen sweet is also used. 



Grain : White Russian wheat makes choice flour, and yields from 30 to 40 bushels 

 per acre. Oats yield on good soil, if sown by the Loth of May, from 50 to 60 bushels 

 per acre. Barley sown by the 15th will yield 40 to 45 bushels per acre. 



Vegetables : All kmds of vegetables do well. Beans are an important crop in this 

 State. Onions are largely raised for Eastern markets. 



WASHINGTON TERRITORY. 



Grasses and forage plants: Our grasses are blue-grass, red clover, alsike, timo; 

 thy, and orchard grass. The climate is so mUd that all the grasses named do ex- 

 ceedingly well. Five acres of red clover yielded 15 tons of splendid hay at one cut. 

 ting. Could have cut nearly as much more, but preferred to use it for pasttu-e, 

 Most of the grasses here remain green nearly all the year, Timothy, with wheat- 

 oats, and barley, is sown and cut for hay before ripe. We want grasses that will 

 suit our alkali soil and long summer droughts. 



Grain : Rye, wheat, and barley are the principal grains. Winter wheat is sown 

 between the 15th of October and 1st of November. 



Vegetables : All kinds of vegetables grow well except peppers, egg-plant, and 

 other tender varieties. It rarely freezes deep enough to injure potatoes left in the 

 ground, 



WISCONSIN. 



Grasses and forage plants : Grass yields in ordinary seasons from 1 to 3 tons per 

 acre. Timothy, clover, red-top, millet, and Hungarian are the principal varieties. 



Grain .' Wisconsin is well adapted for gi-owing all kinds of gi'am. Plowing is be- 

 gun early in April for small grains; in May for corn. Corn, oats, and barley are 

 the staple crops at this time. Burpee oats grow 6 feet high and are about ten days 

 earlier than others sown at the same time. Surprise oats from the Department are 

 earlier and larger and yield more than our native oats. Winter wheat is raised to 

 a small extent. Stock farming is the main stay. Amber cane is not raised to any 

 extent at present, as we have no sugar manufactories. The eastern part of Wis- 

 consin is a fine section for wheat, oats, and barley. 



Vegetables : The seeds received from the Department produced a fine crop. Mc- 

 Lean s advancer was fii-st and best, and Laxton's prolific peas did well and were of 

 fine flavor. Corn and potatoes are the principal and most profitable croj). Onions 

 are largely raised for city markets. Mangel-^^nn•zel and rutabagas weigh as high as 

 13 pounds, beets 5 to 11 pounds, and cabbage 22 pounds. Cucumbers are a prolific 

 crop. In fact, the yield of all kinds of garden vegetables is an abundant one. 



