12 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 398 



plan of the experiment were given in last year's report (Mass. Agr. Expt. Sta. 

 Bui. 388:14-15, 1942). 



Yields of both hay ?nd pasture herbage on plots seeded in 1940 were lower this 

 year than last year. Plots which produced at the rate of 3 H to 4 tons of dry 

 matter per acre last year produced 3 to 33/^ tons this year. Reduced yields re- 

 sulted, notwithstanding the fact that growing conditions so far as the weather 

 was concerned were much more favorable this past season than they were a year 

 ago. Total rainfall for the period from March 1 to November 1, 1942, amounted 

 to 30.55 inches, slightly above normal for this period, whereas the total rainfall 

 for the same period in 1941 was only 22.02 inches. 



These experimental results are consistent with what has been observed in 

 newly seeded hay and pasture lands in Massachusetts for many years. Unless 

 weather conditions or other circumstances are extremely unfavorable, yields will 

 be highest the year following seeding. This Is true for both spring and summer 

 seedings. Yields can be expected to fall for two to three years following the sec- 

 ond year of maximum production until a fairly constant production level is 

 reached, which will approximate one half to two thirds of the maximum figure. 

 Careful grazing management in pastures and regular topdressing applications of 

 suitable fertilizers will slow up the rate of decrease, but they will not prevent it. 

 Managed grazing of the plots in this experiment, together with a topdressing 

 application of 200 pounds of 40 percent superphosphate and 325 pounds of muri- 

 ate of potash per acre In the fall of 1941, did not prevent yield levels from falling 

 in 1942. 



Of the three grasses — smooth brome grass, late-maturing types of orchard grass, 

 and meadow fescue — which produced well in association with Ladino clover in 

 1941, only meadow fescue failed to compete satisfactorily In 1942. The total 

 production of these grasses In association with Ladino clover was not only high 

 but w^as fairly uniformly spread over the season. Smooth brome grass and Ladino 

 clover for example, yielded 1015 pounds of dry herbage in May, 1600 pounds in 

 June, 1065 pounds in July, 920 pounds In August, and 770 pounds In October. 

 These yields may be compared with those from the timothy, alsike, red clover 

 plots which were 1210, 1160, 770, 770, and 340 pounds for the same harvesting 

 dates. 



Promising results were again obtained from the series In which a crop of hay 

 was cut followed by grazing. A mixture of smooth brome grass, Ladino clover, 

 and alfalfa produced 4040 pounds of hay m mid-June, 1065 pounds of grazing In 

 July, 1015 pounds in August, and 870 pounds in October. The timothy, alsike, 

 red clover mixture yielded 5180 pounds of hay In late June, no grazing in July, 

 970 pounds in August, and 680 pounds In October. 



Some of the leafy, late-maturing strains of orchard grass performed moderately 

 well with Ladino clover and also when alfalfa was added, but the commercial 

 strains of orchard grass were not satisfactory. In the pasture plots they were all 

 too vigorous in their growth habits and tended to crowd out the legumes even 

 though grazing was carefully controlled and the plots were clipped after each 

 grazing period. In the hay plots these strains matured too early for the alfalfa. 



Although the common variety of orchard grass has been frequently recommend- 

 ed to farmers, this grass has never found widespread favor. It has recently been 

 recommended as a companion grass for Ladino clover. The past two years' re- 

 sults Indicate that the reluctance on the part of farmers to grow it extensively Is 

 well founded. Except where soils are fertile and well supplied with moisture 

 and also where grazing is carefully controlled and the means are available for 

 clipping following grazing, disappointing results with Ladino clover and orchard 

 grass are likely. Even under such circumstances no more than three to five pounds 

 of the grass seed should be sown to the acre. 



