Food for the smaller acreage devoted to grain and hoed crops, 



because of the more liberal fertilizing and better cul- 



94 tivation given them, was as great as was formerly 

 obtained from the entire farm, leaving the value of the 

 hay as clear gain over the old method. 



The selling price per ton of good Number One 

 Timothy Hay in the markets of America usually ranges 

 between 10 and 20 per cent, higher than that of clover 

 hay, the difference frequently being nearly enough to 

 cover the cost of harvesting and marketing the crop. 

 This, coupled with the fact that the yield per acre of 

 timothy is about equal to that of clover, and it is much 

 easier to cure into good marketable condition, makes it 

 evident that timothy is the more profitable to raise for 

 market in those States where the soil and climatic con- 

 ditions are favorable. 



We have been trying to grow timothy by seeding it 

 with wheat or rye, and smothering it out with the grain 

 crop the first year, and again with clover the second 

 year, until the remaining timothy plants have become 

 so weakened because of these unfavorable conditions 

 and the lack of necessary plant food that they can only 

 make a stunted growth. The result of this general 

 method of growing hay has been an average yield for the 

 whole country of one and one-quarter tons per acre, 

 while, by adopting better methods, it is possible to 

 grow three or four tons per acre and, where conditions 

 are extremely favorable, as much as six tons of timothy 

 per acre can often be grown in one season. 



In view of the conditions here pointed out, an ex- 

 periment was planned in order to determine whether on 

 soils naturally well adapted for hay growing, but out of 

 condition, it is practicable to properly prepare the land 

 and to maintain the meadow so as to secure profitable 

 crops for a period of years by the use of commercial 

 fertilizers alone. 



Location of the Experiments and 

 Condition of the Land. 



The land upon which the experiments were made is 

 located on the eastern central grazing and dairy 



