VETCH FOR FORAGE 269 



VETCHES 



There are two species of vetch that have re- 

 cently come into considerable use. In the use of 

 vetches for any of the purposes mentioned, care 

 should be used to prevent the plant from ripening 

 and re -seeding the land. In some states, notably 

 Michigan, vetch has become a nuisance as a weed, 

 and is said to have made profitable wheat- growing 

 impossible in certain sections. Since it is not pos- 

 sible to separate the vetch readily from wheat, the 

 latter is ruined for milling purposes. When grown 

 only for green forage purposes, the danger is not 

 formidable. 



Spring vetch 



The spring vetch or tare ( Vicia sativa) may 

 be substituted for Canada field peas, in a mix- 

 ture with oats; and in the northern states, 

 where the pea-louse has been very destructive, 

 it serves an excellent purpose. It is sown in 

 spring or early summer, and does not survive the 

 winter. The preparation of soil should be practi- 

 cally the same as that recommended for oats and 

 peas. Fertilizers should also be of the same char- 

 acter. Experiments indicate that one bushel of 

 seed, with one to one and one -half bushels of oats 

 per acre makes a good mixture, although the smal- 

 ler quantity of oats will be better on good land, as 



