tiou of the soil. The lands are subsequently better fitted for the 

 production of shallow-growing crops, as grains, etc. Large produc- 

 tions of fodder crops assist in the economical raising of general farm 

 crops ; although the area devoted to cultivation is reduced, the total 

 yield of the land is usually more satisfactory." 



Beleiving in the soundness of the above stated views, it has been 

 for years a special task of our work at the station to investigate upon 

 our farm lands the comparative merits, if any, of a variety of fodder 

 plants, new to our locality and of a fair reputation elsewhere, as may 

 have been noticed in our annual report. From among those fodder 

 plants, which showed a fair degree of adaptation to our soil and 

 climate, we have selected for several years past a few for cultivation 

 on a large scale to increase our fodder supply during the summer and 

 winter season, either as green fodder or in the form of ensilage. 



The new crops thus far selected for that purpose are all annual 

 leguminous plants (clover family), as summer vetch, Scotch tares, 

 sojabean, serradella, horsebean and southern cow-pea. These crops 

 can claim a higher nutritive value than the grasses, and they yield in 

 the majority of cases a larger return per acre. They are readily and 

 with advantage introduced into most local systems of rotation ; they 

 tend to increase materially the nitrogen resource of the soil they are 

 raised on, in an economical way ; besides improving the physical and 

 chemical conditions of the soil in various directions. 



One of the principal aims in the cultivation of fodder crops of 

 every description ought to be, an increase of their nitrogen containing 

 organic constituents as far as practicable. This result is of special 

 interest in the dairy industry — for milch cows, among full-grown 

 animals, require an exceptionally nutritious diet to do their best. 



No class of farm crops show in a more marked degree the influence 

 of a liberal use of manure. Both the quantity and quality of these 

 crops are materially improved, when raised upon lands in a fair state 

 of fertility. Exhausted lands produce invariably an inferior quality 

 of fodder crops of its kind, as far as the amount of their nitrogen 

 containing organic constituents are concerned. A liber al production 

 of nutritious annual fodder crops of the right kind improves our 

 chances of supporting more farm live stock; tends to increase our 

 supply of homemade manure, and ultimately becomes the chief reliance 

 of a remunerative mixed farm industry. 



Our trials on a small scale with new fodder ciops during the past 

 year include the following : 



