120 



HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. 



[Jan. 



rainfall. It is not impossible that on lighter and less reten- 

 tive soils, or with delicient rainfoll, the cow pea may compare 

 more fiivoral)ly with the soy bean as a green manuring crop, 

 for the latter is somewhat impatient of drought and of soils 

 deficient in moisture. 



It may be of interest to state in this connection that a 

 portion of the area in soy beans was allowed to ripen, and 

 that the yield was about 36 bushels per acre of thoroughly 

 ripened seed. 



Nitrate of Soda for Rowen. 

 Many experiments l)oth here and elsewhere have con- 

 vincingly shown the great value of nitrate of soda for appli- 

 cation to mowings in early spring. Not many experiments 

 appear to have been tried to determine the eft'ect of such 

 applications for the second crop. Accordingly plots were 

 laid out in July in two of our mowing fields, for the purpose 

 of carrying out an experiment to test this question. There 

 were two sets of these plots. One set included four plots, 

 laid out in a permanent mowing which was seeded twelve 

 years ago, the principal species at the present time being 

 Kentucky blue grass. The first crop was cut June 25. The 

 nitrate of soda was applied July 1 to two plots at the rate 

 of 150 pounds per acre. The first crop of hay on this land 

 was at the rate of 2.16 tons per acre. The rowen was cut 

 on these plots on September 7. The results are shown in 

 the following table : — 



Nitrate of Soda for Roinen. 



PLOTS. 



PouNiJS PER Acre. 



Nitrate of 

 Soda applied. 



Rowen 

 harvested. 



Plotl, 

 Plot 2, 

 Plot 3, 

 Plot 4, 



Nothing. 



150 

 Nothing. 



150 



2,082 

 3,117 

 2,438 

 3.035 



The average of plots 1 and 3 is at the rate of 2,260 pounds 

 of rowen per acre; of plots 2 and 4 it is 3,076 pounds per 

 acre. The application, then, of 150 pounds of nitrate of 



