40 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATIOX. [Jan. 



these oats are quite hard}', it was decided to try them. We 

 were also invited by Peter Henderson & Co. to make such a 

 trial. One plat of one-tenth of an acre in rather heavy but 

 well-drained loam and another of about three-eighths of 

 an acre in medium loam Avcre selected for the experiment. 

 The seed was sown in drills about the last of September, 

 and the oats had made a good start before cold weather. 

 JVot a sinr/le plant survived the winter in either plat. 



Sorghum Vai-ieties. — Several varieties of reputed fodder 

 plants belonging to the genus Sorglmm have been under trial 

 in a small way during each of the last few years, usually at 

 the suggestion of the United States Department of Agricult- 

 ure. It is believed by some of the officers of this depart- 

 ment that plants of this class, having greater capacit}^ to 

 resist drought than many others, will prove valuable fodder 

 plants ; and this opinion is seemingly justified by the results 

 of trials in some of the western States. In Kansas, indeed, 

 very favorable results have been obtained with some of them 

 as grain crops. Such of these crops as have been tried here 

 have always been put in warm, well-drained soil, but they 

 have in no instance equalled Indian corn as fodder crops. 

 Those tried this year are the following: "Jerusalem corn," 

 " Red Kaffir corn," " White Kaffir corn " and " Millo maize." 

 " Teosinte," although not a soro-hum, can be considered with 

 them. All of these grow very slowly at first, which increases 

 the cost of culture largely, as compared with corn. None 

 of them have ripened seed with us. For the various reasons 

 above stated^ I do not regard any of these crops as liTx'ely to 

 prove valuable for Massachusetts farmers. 



Saccaline. — Seed obtained in 1895 was started in a bed 

 in the open air, and in midsummer plants were set in two 

 plats, one in light sandy soil, the other in a heavy moist 

 soil. The plants in the latter grew vigorously until late 

 fall, those in the sandy soil but feebly. During the win- 

 ter about 75 per cent, of the plants in both plats were 

 killed. A similar proportion of })lants temi)orarily set in a 

 bed in medium loam died during the winter. Such plants 

 as survived the winter in the moist soil made a very early 

 start in the spring, but were entirely destroyed by later 

 frosts. I judge that the plant is far from being sufficiently 



