I.K(.lMI\'>rs rum's. 



579 



Seeding may commence about February, and continue till May. When 

 sown with a cereal, about 30 lb. of vetches and 40 to 60 lb. of oats 

 barley, or rye, will usually give ;i 

 good stand. The seed can be mixed 

 and sown broadcast or with a wheat 

 drill. If sown alone in drills with 

 a maize-dropper and sorghum plate, 

 a much smaller quantity of seed 

 will be required. Besides this, the 

 crop can be cultivated for a limited 

 period before it spreads across the 

 tows. The seed is difficult to 

 harvest and consequently some- 

 what high in price, averaging about 

 1 2s. per bushel. For this reason 

 the use of smaller quantities of seed 

 may be found to be more economical. 



The value of maize stalks as a 

 winter fodder can often be enhanced 

 by sowing the seed of vetches 

 between the rows of late maize 

 after it has received its last cultiva- 

 tion. This should be some time 

 during or after February. Seed- 

 ings before this month can be made 

 more satisfactorily with cowpeas. 



The difficulty attending the har- 

 vesting of this crop prevents it 

 from being of much value as 

 hay, although the quality of the 

 fodder thus preserved is said to 

 be very good. When mixed 

 with cereals the growth is more 

 upright, and correspondingly easy 

 to harvest. The pods, when dry, 

 shell very easily, and if allowed 

 to mature, seed is scattered about, 

 and the plant is likely to become 

 a nuisance. This is especially the 

 case where wheat is grown for the 



seed gets harvested with the wheat, and it is not easily separated by 

 grading. When grown with barley, oats, or rye, it rarely has an oppor- 

 tunity of seeding, s'ince the cereal is ready to be fed off before the vetch has 

 commenced to flower. 



An average plant from a crop of Tares grown for 

 green manure at Wagga Experiment Farm. 



This crop makes demands on the soil similar to other legumes. It 

 enriches the soil considerably in nitrogen, hence its value as a green manure. 

 Under such circumstances it is advisable to encourage as much growth as 

 possible, and manures can often be more effectively used by applying them 

 to the green-manure crop rather than to the main crop, or to the 

 fruit-trees. 



