4 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 333 



YEARLY NOTES AND YIELDS 



Detailed field records for each year seem unnecessary. Certain outstanding 

 facts are briefly mentioned. 4 



1923. As previously stated, corn was grown and at the last hoeing each 

 plot was divided crosswise into four subplots of ^o acre each. Two alternate 

 subplots were seeded with a mixture of red and alsike clovers and two with a 

 mixture of timothy and red top grasses. All plots were in excellent condition 

 when winter came. 



1924. Fertilizers according to the new plan were applied as a top-dressing 

 in the spring. Broadcasting the seed in the corn resulted in overlapping of 

 clovers and grasses, so that considerable labor was required to remove the 

 clover plants from the grass subplots without nitrogen. Grasses were not 

 removed from the clover subplots, and timothy plants amid the clover were 

 larger than on the grass areas. Following the July cutting, the season was 

 relatively dry. A light crop of rowen was cut from the clover subplots in 

 September, but none was taken from the grasses. 



1925. Clover had disappeared from the legume subplots and grasses ap- 

 peared to constitute the sod on all areas. The field was plowed late in April, 

 and prepared for a crop of Golden Bantam sweet corn, which was grown on 

 all subplots as the nonlegume in both rotation and continuous nonlegume 

 series. As the season advanced, the corn following clover was larger than that 

 following grasses. The corn was harvested when it began to show roasting 

 ears. Immediately after the removal of the corn, the field was prepared for a 

 crop of winter vetch on the legume and winter rye on the nonlegume subplots. 



1926. Rye passed through the winter in excellent condition, but much of 

 the vetch died. Consequently the field was plowed and prepared for soybeans 

 as the legume and Japanese barnyard millet as the nonlegume. Nitrogen was 

 applied to Plots 5, 8, and 10. Millet showed much larger growth with nitrogen 

 than without it. Soybeans appeared to respond to it a little. Cuttings were 

 made when heads had formed on the millet and pods on the soybeans. 



1927. Golden Bantam sweet corn was again selected for nonlegume on all 

 subplots. The field was plowed and repeatedly harrowed before the corn was 

 planted in the first week of July. Decomposition of the stubble and roots of 

 the previous crops would be progressing actively by this date. Plants follow- 

 ing millet were continuously superior to those following soybeans. Frosts 

 were late and the corn was harvested the first week in October unharmed, 

 with many ears at the roasting stage. 



1928. Nitrogen was applied to Plots 5, 8, and 10. In the spring red and 

 alsike clovers were sown on the legume and timothy and red top on the non- 

 legume subplots, without a nurse crop. Weeds overtopped both clovers and 

 grasses and were included in the harvested crops, which were cut when in 

 bloom. A good growth of clovers and grasses followed and was left uncut as 

 a protection against winterkilling. 



1929. All plots were in excellent condition in the spring and free from 

 weeds. Fertilizers were applied as a top-dressing, and nitrogen was omitted. 

 Volunteer plants of white clover appeared among the grasses and were re- 

 moved from the subplots of 6, 7, and 9. Crops were cut early in July. Scat- 

 tered timothy plants had grown amid the clover and on the plots without ni- 

 trogen fertilizer were found to be from 7 to 10 inches taller than the timothy 

 plants in the midst of grasses. Dry weather followed the removal of the crops 

 and no second crop was secured. The field was plowed in September, pre- 

 venting any additional development of clovers amid the grasses. 



1930. Japanese millet was grown on all plots and nitrogen was applied to 

 Plots 5, 8, and 10. As the crop developed, the millet with nitrogen was supe- 

 rior to that without it; millet following grasses appeared nearly equal to that 

 following clover. Heads were beginning to show when, on July 22 and 24, 



« Mr. E. F. Gaskill and Mr. C. W. Everson have had charge of the field work and have given 

 full cooperation throughout the investigation. 



