Performance of Forage Varieties and Strains 

 in New Hampshire (1955-1960) 



G. M. Dunn and R. A. Kilpatrick* 



THE New Hampshire Station conducted variety trials with the following 

 forage species during 1955-60: bromegrass (Bromus inermis leyss), 

 Alfalfa {Medicago saliva L.) and Ladino white clover (Trifolium repens L.). 

 The purpose of this report is to briefly summarize performance of varieties 

 and strains of these species for the above period. 



BROMEGRASS 



Material and Methods 



Bromegrass test :#: 1 was seeded on a Charlton loam soil at Dover, 

 N. H., May 23, 1954. This test, conducted in cooperation with the NE-28 

 Regional Forage Breeding Project, contained thirteen experimental strains 

 selected in the Northeast and four check varieties. The same test was also 

 seeded in New York and Pennsylvania. Seeding rate was 12 lbs. per acre, 

 and 400 lbs. of 8-16-16 fertilizer, 2!/o tons of lime, and 10 tons of manure 

 were applied at seeding. The design was a random block with six repli- 

 cations of 5 x 16 foot plots. Fertilization rate during 1955, 1956, 1957 was 

 500 lbs. of 10-10-10 in early spring, with an additional 50 lbs. of N per 

 acre after the first and second harvest. 



Bromegrass test # 2 was seeded August 27, 1957, on an Agawam fine 

 sandv soil at the Strafford County Farm, Dover, N. H. This included five 

 New Hampshire bromegrass strains with three check varieties. Fertiliza- 

 tion at seeding was 800 lbs. per acre of 8-16-16 and one ton of lime. 

 The design was a random block with four replications of 5 x 10 foot 

 plots. Fertilization in 1958 and 1959 was 600 lbs. per acre of 10-10-10 

 in the spring, followed by 60 lbs. of N per acre after the first and second 

 harvest. Somewhat higher rates were used in 1960 when three applica- 

 tions were made with 15-10-10 at about 450 lbs. per acre per application. 



* Associate Agronomist, New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, Durham, 

 and Plant Pathologist, Crops Research Division, ARS, and USDA. 



