Nov., 1910.] ANNUAL REPORTS. 19 



As this project is to continue for a period of four years no definii< results 

 can be given until its completion. It appears, however, from the results thus 

 far obtained that plowing and reseeding is the most efficient as well as the 

 most economical method of increasing the yield of grass on these old pastures. 



III. CO-OPERATIVE EXPERIMENTS. 



The only cooperative experiments being conducted by this department in 

 addition to those previously mentioned with alfalfa, are tests of methods to 

 increase the yield of hay on old mowing lands. This work was begun in the 

 spring of 1910 with the following particular objects in view: (1) To demon- 

 strate by which of five simple methods the j'ields of hay on an average New 

 Hampshire meadow can be most greatly increased. (2) To determine the 

 cost of the increase produced by each method in the several communities. 

 (3) To indicate whether lime has any effect on the soils in question in pro- 

 moting the growth of clover. (4) To bring the Experiment Station and the 

 college into a closer and more favorable contact with the farmers of the state. 



Method op Procedure. Fields which had been in sod for several years, 

 and which had as uniform soils and stands of grass as possible were selected 

 and divided into six sections of one-half to one-quarter-acre each, depending 

 upon the total amount of land available. Section 1 was top-dressed with 

 barnyard manure at the rate of twelve loads per acre. Section 2 was top- 

 dressed with a complete chemical fertilizer at the rate of 600 lbs. per acre. 

 Section 3 received no treatment. Section 4 was top-dressed with nitrate of 

 soda at the rate of 400 lbs. per acre. Section 5 was plowed and reseeded in the 

 fall without fertilization. Section 6 was plowed and cultivated to corn or 

 potatoes for one season and then seeded down. 



The grass seed used consisted of a mixture of 40 lbs. of Timothy, 20 lbs. of 

 redtop, 30 lbs. of red clover and 20 lbs. of alsike clover, and was applied at the 

 rate of 30 lbs. to the acre. 



This combination of tests will indicate first the effect of three common top- 

 dressing materials; second, the effect of simply stirring the soil and reseeding; 

 and third, the effect of cultivation and crop rotation. One half of the section 

 simply plowed and reseeded was limed for the purpose of seeing to what extent 

 the lime would induce the growth of clover. The various top-dressings are to 

 be applied every spring during the period of the test, while sections 5 and 6 are 

 to receive no treatment after being seeded down. The hay from each section 

 is to be weighed carefully each year and an account of the value of the fertil- 

 izers used and the cost of the grass seed and labor of seeding down is to be kept, 

 so that the actual profit or loss of each treatment for the series of years may be 

 known. The Experiment Station furnishes the grass seed and the fertilizers 

 with the exception of the manure, outlines the details of the experiment, assists 

 in keeping the notes, and has a representative visit those conducting the testa 

 at the time their grass is cut. 



The following fanners of the state are cooperating in those tests: Royal 

 Jordon, Colebrook; Walter Eaton, Whitefield; Everett H. Smith, East Haver- 

 hill; J. B. Foster, Quincy; D. T. Atwood, Plymouth; H. S. Townsend, Leba- 

 non; and Nelson Merrow, Lancaster. 



