204 AGRICULTURAL EXPERLMENT STATION. [Jan. 



7. Experiments with Grass Land (Meadows). 



The permanent grass lands are by their location arranged 

 into two divisions, west and east of a public highway. 

 They cover at present a space of sixteen to seventeen acres. 



The west side division consists of old meadows, kept for 

 over twenty years in grass. The area has for years been 

 steadily reduced in size by turning, as circumstances ad- 

 vised, more or less at a time into plats for field experiments. 

 In their present condition they surround our main field for 

 experimental purposes. They are in part underdrained, 

 and are kept, by a moderate annual top-dressing with barn- 

 yard manure, in a fair state of production, considering the 

 condition of the sod. The area comprises to-day approxi- 

 mately not more than seven acres. 



The east side division of meadows comprises an area of 

 about ^.Q acres. The entire field to 188G consisted of old, 

 worn-out grass lands, overrun with a worthless growth on 

 its more elevated portion, and covered with weeds and 

 sedges in its lower section. The improvement of the land 

 by underdraining and ploughing, and subsequently by the 

 use of a system of drill culture, began in some parts (north 

 end) in 1886 and in others (south end) in 1887. For the 

 details of this work see ninth annual report (1891). The 

 following seeds have been applied : — 



In 1888, to the more elevated portions — 



Two bushels herds grass {Phleum pratense) . 

 Two bushels red top (Agrostis vulgaris). 

 Two bushels Kentucky blue-grass {Poa pratensis) . 

 Two bushels meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) . 

 Seven pounds sweet-scented vernal grass {Antlioxanthum odor- 

 atum) . 



This was applied at the rate of from two to two and one- 

 half bushels per acre. The lower and more wet portion of 

 the meadow was seeded down with the following mixture 

 of grass seeds : — 



