18 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 355 



of yield. In pastures where native white clover can be depended upon to supply 

 nitrogen, response to complete mineral (calcium, potassium, phosphorus) fertili- 

 zation will be pronounced. 



In pastures where white clover cannot be depended upon to supply nitrogen, 

 this element is the first limiting element, and is ordinarily followed in turn by 

 calcium (lime), potassium, and phosphorus. In such cases, a system of fertiliza- 

 tion which includes nitrogen as well as complete minerals will be necessary to 

 produce a pronounced response. 



Reseeded Pastures. (W. G. Colby.) Reseeded pastures in the sense discussed 

 here refer to areas which are tilled, fertilized, and reseeded to the more productive 

 pasture species. Observations clearly indicate that before a potentially high- 

 yielding species, Ladino clover for example, can establish and maintain itself, a 

 relatively high level of soil fertility must be provided. To attain such a fertility 

 level in most crop soils in Massachusetts, it is necessary to incorporate fertilizer 

 materials and organic matter into the soil in liberal quantities by some sort of 

 tillage operations. High-yielding species can then be expected to produce pas- 

 ture herbage commensurate with their potential yielding capacity. 



Highly productive species will persist and remain in a high state of productivity 

 ju.st so long as it is possible to maintain a high level of soil fertility. With the aid 

 of annual fertilizer topdressing applications, a relatively high level can be main- 

 tained in most instances from three to five years. To reattain the initial soil 

 fertility level, it is then necessary to repeat the tillage, fertilizer, and seeding 

 practices. If reseeding operations are not carried out after three to five years, 

 Kentucky bluegrass, native white clover, and various Agrostis species will become 

 the dominant herbage plants. 



The problem of herbage production in Massachusetts centers mainly around 

 soil fertility. If other factors such as weather, physical soil conditions, and 

 management practices are reasonably normal, not only the maintenance of partic- 

 ular species in many cases but also the herbage yields of all species are primarily 

 functions of soil fertility. The struggle in Massachusetts is to provide a level of 

 soil fertility which will maintain high-\ielding species, such as Ladino clover. 

 Fertilizer topdressing alone will not accomplish this result. Tillage, fertilizers, 

 organic matter, and seed are all important factors in establishing and maintaining 

 productive species in productive pastures. If pastures are cared for and treated 

 as any other high-producing crop, they will yield in a comparable fashion. 



Trials of Thirteen Different Hay Seeding Mixtures. (Ralph W. Donaldson, 

 Walter S. Eisenmenger, and Karol Kucinski.) Data obtained at the end of three 

 years from two cuttings per year of various seeding mixtures on soil limed for 

 alfalfa indicate the following: (1) A number of mixtures show no significant 

 difference. No single one is outstanding. (2) The mixtures totaling 18-21 pounds, 

 comprised of alfalfa 6-18 pounds, with the balance made up from red clover 3-6 

 pounds and timothy 3-6 pounds, have tended to produce the highest yield. 

 (3) Orchard grass in mixtures, while yielding comparatively well in new stands, 

 has reduced the percentage stand of alfalfa plants in subsequent years and also 

 matures too early for use with alfalfa. (4) Redtop, possibly satisfactory with 

 timothy and clovers, appears less desirable when alfalfa is included, because of 

 its denser growth. (5) A 21 -pound rate of seeding averaged 250 pounds more 

 hay than a 17-pound rate and 800 pounds more than a 13-pound rate. (6) Of most 

 significance in maintaining yields in these trials was a topdressing of 250 pounds 

 of potash (60 percent) per acre, applied on half of all plots the two previous 

 seasons, which in 1938 harvests resulted in a 46 percent increase in yield. 



