16 MASS. EXPERnrENT STATION BULLETIN 378 



mercial seedsman in Finland shows promise as a liay type. It does not 

 .crrow as tall as native commercial strains but it produces a dense, dark 

 green growth, is much more leafy, and matures a week later. 



Meadow Fescue. Svalof's Early Meadow Fescue has been the most prom- 

 ising strain of this species. Although a little earlier than is desirable, this 

 strain is the onlj^ one tested which thus far has shown a complete im- 

 munity to leaf rust. During the 1940 season the rust infestation on all 

 other strains was severe and seriously affected the yield. 



Perennial Ryegrass. Although perennial ryegrass may never become an im- 

 portant hay or pasture grass in Massachusetts, several of the strains tested 

 were superior to those now available commercially. The strain O.A.C. 

 No. 1 from Dr. McConkey at Guelph, Canada, and the strain E. F. 79 

 and Otofte from Denmark should be included in this group. 



Red Clover. Of the many strains of medium red clover tested, three ob- 

 tained from Dr. E. A. Hollowell of the U. S. D. A. grew particularly well. 

 These were F. C. 22,655 (Central Corn Belt Blend), F. C. 22,586 (Illinois 

 Red Clover), and F. C. 30,124 (Indiana Red Clover). A number of strains 

 of foreign origin made a vigorous initial growth and suffered no winter 

 injury but were severely attacked by leafhoppers. For this reason alone 

 it was necessary to discard practically all strains of foreign origin. 



Ryegrasses as Green Manure Crops. (Hrant M. Yegian and W. G. 

 Colby.) The relative value of three varieties of ryegrass as green manure 

 and winter cover crops following onions is being studied. The species 

 which have been grown are briefly described as follows: 



Domestic ryegrass (Loliuni sp.) is a moderately winter-hardy species which 

 is already being used as a cover crop by many vegetable growers. From 

 50 to 60 percent of the plants will survive the average winter; so unless 

 the crop is completely turned under in the plowing operation, volunteer 

 plants may interfere with the cultivation of the subsequent crop. If 

 planted by the middle of August and plowed under by the first of October, 

 from three-fourths of a ton to a ton and half of dry matter can be ex- 

 pected in the tops, depending upon the amount of available moisture and 

 plant nutrients during this growing period. The tops together with the 

 roots, therefore, add a considerable amount of organic matter to the soil. 



Westerwolds ryegrass (L. annum var. westerwoldium) differs from ordi- 

 nary domestic ryegrass in its strictly annual growth. It will produce 

 about the same amount of growth as domestic ryegrass if planted by the 

 first or middle of August. Being completely winterkilled, it will not 

 produce any voluntary growth in the spring or interfere with subsequent 

 crop cultivation. 



Lolium subulatum, known as IVimmera ryegrass in Australia, is also an 

 annual. It does not appear to develop as rapidly as the Westerwolds 

 ryegrass, but the difference in growth is not great and it can be substi- 

 tuted for Westerwolds if the need arises. 



The value of these ryegrasses as a green manure or winter cover crop 

 depends to a large extent upon the nature of the soil and the weather 

 conditions. One of these grasses, seeded at the rate of 30 to 35 pounds 

 to the acre by the middle of August on land moderately high in fertility, 

 with a moderate supply of rainfall, will produce a dense vegetative cover, 

 and. a considerable quantity of organic matter will be added to the soil. 



