24 FORAGE CROPS IN NEBRASKA. 



or 5,666 pounds per acre, while a check plot yielded at the rate of 

 2,166 pounds per acre. 



One plot sown in spring of 1900 and manured in the autumn of 

 1901, gave June 23, 1902, 1.66 tons of hay per acre, and June 16, 1903, 

 1.7 tons, and in each case the aftermath was tine and would have 

 produced an excellent pasture. 



The plots were all greatly affected by the drought in the summer of 

 1901, but recovered in the autumn and showed that although they had 

 been dried up they were unhurt. 



A sowing at the rate of 11 pounds per acre on one plot showed that 

 much more seed was produced than upon plots more thickly sown. 

 This plot was thoroughly disked in the spring of 1903, with the result 

 that the growth the following season was not improved. 



In order to test spring and fall sowing, one plot was sown October 

 5, 1900, at the rate of 25 pounds per acre, upon disked land, and 

 another April 8, 1901, at the same rate and upon ground prepared in 

 the same way. Although there was a good stand of grass obtained 

 from fall sowing, there was no noticeable difference the following 

 season between the two plots. 



In order to test the time of seeding several plots were sown broad- 

 cast on the following dates in 1902: March 24, April S, April 21, May 

 7, May 19, August 7, August 19, September 15, October 1, and Octo- 

 ber 21. All showed a good stand on May 1 of the following year and 

 no injuiy from winter killing, except the last sowing, which had barely 

 sprouted and was then killed by the cold. With this exception all 

 yielded good crops of hay on June 23. (See PI. Ill, tig. 1.) 



If the soil is in proper condition it is probable that brome -grass may 

 be sown any time from April to the first of October. 



Brome-grass was sown in 1898 with bluegrass and with red clover. 

 In both cases there was a good stand of brome-grass at first, but where 

 combined with bluegrass the latter gradually increased in proportion 

 until in 1903 it was estimated that the plot contained two-thirds 

 bluegrass. 



The red clover was also able to hold its own with the brome-grass 

 in those years favorable to the growth of clover, but the dry season of 

 1901 nearly exterminated the clover from the plot. 



In the paragraph upon pastures it will be noted that when brome- 

 grass was sown with other grasses it was usually able to crowd out its 

 competitors. 



RESULTS OF COOPERATIVE EXPERIMEXTS. 



The United States Department of Agriculture has distributed seed 

 of brome-grass through the Nebraska Experiment Station to a number 

 of farmers with the understanding that reports upon the results 

 obtained would be made. These cooperative distributions were made 

 between 1898 and 1902. 



