HAIRY-VETCH SEED PRODUCTION. 3 
The high cost of seeding hairy vetch is particularly unfortunate, 
because this plant is one of the very best legumes for building up 
unproductive soils. The owners of these soils would be especially 
benefited by the use of a crop of this character, yet they are the ones 
who are least able to plant such a high-priced green manure. 
POSSIBILITY OF CHEAPER SEED. 
-The cost of seeding hairy vetch can be reduced either by a lowering 
of the price of commercial seed or by increasing the use of home- 
grown seed. There is little reason to believe, however, that the seed 
of hairy vetch will ever be really cheap. For this there are several 
explanations: 
(1) The seed crop must be grown exclusively for that purpose. Unlike the clovers 
and grasses, there 1s no by-product in the form of hay or pasturage, and the straw is of 
relatively little value. 
(2) The seed crop is difficult and somewhat disagreeable to handle and is therefore 
expensive. 
(3) A given area saved for seed will replant only a comparatively small acreage. 
This fact is illustrated in Table I. 
TaBLE I.—Comparison of areas necessary for reseeding different forage crops. 
| P 
Acre- | ercent- 
| Q Aree i Period of} years agcore 
ze uantity whic profit- pro- ese 
Crop. en ey. planted per acre of able duced coro 
z acre. seed will | utiliza- from 1 18 1 
plant. tion. Acrolof | eouse ve 
aaa | saved for 
reseeding, 
Acres. Years. 
IEVaitayaviet@hisesaeeae oes tee 210 pounds....-- 30 pounds...--- 7 1 7 14.2 
CarClovierase eee eee ee 100 pounds..---- J2 pounds=s.-—— 84 1 82 12 
Common) vetch2=s-2-2-- -=- 700 pounds...--- 70 pounds....-.- 10 1 10 10 
ISVOke sat ect ase eeic cok S9Gspoundss = ele COR ecraacs 13 1 13 Tic® 
Sorghum (broadeast)-....--- 850 pounds... --- 60 pounds....-. 14 1 14 A 
Crimson clover-------..--.-- 300 pounds...--- 15 pounds....-- 20 1 20 5 
SUGaNSTASS= se sece a -Aesee 400 pounds.....- 20 pounds..---- 20 1 20 5 
Sweet clover. .-.-.-- ees 300 pounds...-.-- 14 pounds...-.-- 213 1 212 4.6 
COWMCOSS 2S sae Fae ae ae 720 pounds. .-.-..| 30 pounds....-- 24 1 24 4 
INURAO ONS Dees Soe eee 150 pounds..---- 5 pounds: -25-=- 30 1 30 shes 
SOVAURHIRE <ee ee ae poeeeeere 1,200 pounds. .-..| 30 pounds. ..--. 40 1 40 DES 
italia <saos eee eee 200 pounds. .--.~ 20 pounds....-- 10 5 50 2 
Bur clover (unhulled)...-.-. 50 bushels. ...-.-. 5 bushels. -....-- 10 5 50 2 
Wielive tabCanS=aa25 22 seen oe 600 pounds. ..--. 94 pounds.....- 64 1 64 1.5 
ghar O Ehveraaee eee 250 pounds. ----- 12 pounds....-. 21 3 63 1.5 
Sorghum (rows)---.--------- 850 pounds. ----- OPOUNCS Se 170 1 170 258 
1 Some of the figures given necessarily have been arbitrarily taken, as varying cropping systems lend 
themselves to different periods of utilization and because of the lack in some Cases of definite statistical 
data on crop yields. 
Although the cost of seeding hairy vetch will probably always be 
high compared with that of other crops, there are various economies 
which, if practiced, would tend to lower the cost to the consumer. 
Chief among these are an increase in the average yield of seed per 
acre and improvements in the methods of growing, harvesting, and 
marketing. Nearly every grower of seed can find, by a study of the 
methods of other growers, somie point where he can lower his own 
cost of production and thus be able to sell more cheaply. Similarly, 
distributors can find many places where overhead expenses can be 
cut down without reducing their margin of profit. — , 
