470 



FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



practice is to sow 40 to 60 pounds to the acre. No exact 

 American experiments have been conducted to ascertain 

 the most satisfactory rate in such seedings. In Europe, 

 the seeding rates, according to Werner, are very much 

 higher, 120 to 200 pounds to the acre when broadcast, 

 120 to 160 pounds when drilled. 



On account of the weak stems of hairy vetch, the most 

 common practice is to sow it with a supporting crop, 

 usually one of the small grains rye, wheat, oats or 

 barley. In such mixtures a full seeding of the small 

 grain is usual, and to this is added 20 to 25 pounds of 

 hairy vetch. 



At the Virginia Experiment Station the following 

 results were secured from different mixtures : 



570. Time of seeding. Hairy vetch succeeds every- 

 where best if planted in the fall. However, in regions where 

 soil moisture conditions are such as to render fall planting 

 unsatisfactory, spring plantings often give good results, 



