UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1174 
Washington, D. C. 
August, 1923 
HUNGARIAN VETCH. 1 
By Roland McKee, Agronomist, and H. A. Schoth, Assistant Agronomist, Office oj 
Forage-Crop Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction of Hungarian vetch 1 
Description 2 
Longevity and hard seed 2 
Climatic requirements 2 
Soil and moisture requirements 4 
Value for ha y 5 
Value for green manure 6 
Value for pasturage 7 
Time and rate of seeding 7 
Method of seeding 7 
Inoculation 8 
Page. 
L se of lime and gypsum 8 
Harvesting for hay 8 
Harvesting for see'd 9 
Threshing 9 
, Cleaning seed 10 
I Yield of seed 10 
| Insects in relation to pollination 10 
i Insect enemies 11 
Fungous diseases 11 
Nematode injury 11 
INTRODUCTION OF HUNGARIAN VETCH. 2 
Hungarian vetch is a native of central and southern Europe, being 
quite abundant in Hungary and adjoining territory. It has been 
introduced into cultivation in parts of Europe, but nowhere does it 
seem to have been grown to any great extent. European seedsmen 
offer the seed for sale, but usually only in small quantity. The crop 
has been most extensively tested in the Pacific Coast States, where 
it is especially well adapted. In experimental tests in the Southern 
States it has done well except in plantings where it has been affected 
by nematodes. Its winter hardiness, resistance to aphids, good seed 
habits, and adaptation to poorly drained lands make it desirable for 
extended trial throughout the Cotton Belt. It was first introduced 
into the United States by the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United 
States Department of Agriculture in 1905 under S. P. I. No. 17027. f 
The seed bearing this number was secured through Haage & Schmidt, 
of Erfurt, Germany. A number of introductions have been made 
since that time. The seed used most in experimental work and the 
kind that is being increased for commercial use was received from 
Vilmorin-Andrieux & Co., Paris, France, in 1912, under S. P. I. No. 
1 Vicia pannonica. 
2 The experiments with Hungarian vetch in Oregon since 1915 have been carried on in cooperation with the 
Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station at Corvallis. and it is largely as a result of this work that the 
commercial importance of the crop has been recognized. 
3 The accession number assigned to the seed when received by the Office of Foreign Seed and Plant 
Introduction. 
48620—23 
