ANNUAL REPORT, 1933 7 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY 



Walter S. Eisenmenger in Charge 



Pasture Experiments. (A. B. Beaumont.) Results of experiments in the 

 top-dressing of upland permanent pastures in Worcester County for three years 

 (1930, 1931, 1932) have been summarized. A marked response to applied 

 nitrogen, medium response to potash and lime, and a slight increase due to super- 

 phosphate are shown. A chemical study of the soils showed that they were 

 deficient in readily "available" phosphorus but had a high fixing capacity for 

 phosphoric acid. 



Longevity of Alfalfa Stands. (A. B. Beaumont.) In 1927 ten varieties and 

 strains of alfalfa were sown with differential fertilizer and lime applications. 

 Marked differences were found in longevity of varieties and strains, but prac- 

 tically no differences which could be assigned to fertilizer or lime treatments. 

 The experiment proved that varietal adaptation to climatic conditions was a 

 much more important factor in the longevity of alfalfa than induced soil fertility 

 conditions. 



The first phase of the experiment was concluded in 1930, and the field was 

 plowed and fallowed until the summer of 1931 when it was refertilized and reseeded 

 with one variety of alfalfa (Grimm). Greater differences in amounts of applied 

 fertilizer were made at this time than at the beginning of the experiment. Yields 

 of the second cutting of the 1932 and 1933 crops were weighed and indicate a 

 slight response to phosphoric acid and potash. The stand is still good on all 

 plots except those which received no fertilizer. The experiment must be con- 

 tinued longer before conclusions can be drawn. 



Legume Variety Tests. (M. C. I3arnell and A. B. Beaumont, in cooperation 

 with the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange and the Division of Forage Crops 

 and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. D. A.) 



Alfalfa. The highest yielding varieties for 1933 were as follows: 



1929 seeding (from second cutting only): Italian (1.82 tons); Utah (1.74 tons); 

 Dakota, Kansas and New Mexico (1.71 tons). 



1930 seeding (from two cuttings): South African (3.72 tons), Hungarian (3.70 

 tons), Italian (3.65 tons), Oklahoma (3.57 tons), and Hardigan (3.51 tons). 



1931 seeding (from two cuttings): New Mexico 19010 (4.63 tons), Hardigan 

 (4.56 tons), New Mexico 19011 (4.54 tons), Argentine (4.53 tons), and Utah 

 (4.49 tons). 



1932 seeding (from two cuttings): Cossack (3.26 tons); Hardigan (3.03 tons); 

 New Mexico (2.96 tons); Grimm (2.80 tons); Ontario V^ariegated, Kansas, and 

 Montana (2.77 tons). 



No new alfalfa plots were seeded in 1933. 



Red Clover. The data from two cuttings of red clover plots seeded in 1932 

 afford the same conclusions as in previous years — that the northern-grown 

 American varieties are the best yielders. The highest yielder was Ohio (3.78 

 tons). No new plots were seeded in 1933. 



Vetch. The results of the 1932 fall seeding of vetch and wheat were incorpo- 

 rated in a summary of vetch yields covering the duration of the experiments, 

 1930-1933. From the 1932 seeding, Oregon Hairy yielded .79 tons of vetch, 

 followed by Smooth which yielded .69 tons. For the two years, the Smooth 

 vetch averaged .70 tons, Oregon Hairy .69 tons. It was concluded that this 



