1904.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 147 



which is so generally used of timothy, red-toj) and clover. 

 This mixture in the first year is clearly superior to the other, 

 but whether it will maintain its superiority cannot of course 

 be determined at present. 



Vin. — Experiment in the Application of Manure. 



The experiment upon Avhich the results for the past year 

 are to be reported was begun in 1899. The object in view 

 is to determine whether it is better to spread fresh manure 

 during late fall and winter, allowing it to remain upon the 

 surface until spring, or to put the manure when hauled out 

 into large heaps, to be spread just before plowing the land 

 in the spring. A full account of the plan of this experiment 

 will be found in the thirteenth annual report of this experi- 

 ment station. The field contains five plots, each subdivided 

 into two sub-plots, on one of which the manure is spread 

 when hauled out during the winter and on the other put into 

 a large heap from which it is hauled out and spread in the 

 spring. We have in reality five parallel experiments yearly, 

 the area of each sub-plot being about one-(|uarter of an acre. 

 The crop last year was ensilage corn. On three plots the 

 yield where the manure was spread in the sjjring was con- 

 siderably greater than where it was spread in the winter ; on 

 the other two plots the jaelds under the two systems of ap- 

 plication were practically equal. Rye was sown in the stand- 

 ing corn on August 20, to furnish winter cover. This rye 

 had made considerable growth, which was fairly even on all 

 the plots when it was plowed under, the middle of May. 

 The crop of this year was soy beans, five dift'erent varieties 

 being planted, each kind in equal area on all the plots. 

 Owing to the cold weather, the growth was not altogether 

 satisfactory, and the yield even of the earliest varieties was 

 small. It was seen that one variety would not ripen, and 

 accordingly it was cut when in ensilage condition and put 

 into the silo. We have, therefore, to report for each plot 

 the rate of yield per acre of dry beans and straw, and of 

 green forage for the silo. The rates of yield per acre and 

 the relative standing of the several plots are shown in the 

 tables : — 



