276 TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY REPORT. 
ticular varieties for general culture; but during a few years more 
extensive tests were made. In one* carried on during four years 
ending in 1886, the different races were compared. The flint corns 
were found to give the greatest yields, 16 tons to the acre, as com-: 
pared with 15 tons for the dent varieties, 1234 for the sweet varie- 
ties and 1224 tons for the pop corns. 
The latest test,28 made in 1889, showed some of the larger dent 
varieties leading in production, as they were able to mature in the 
season of 145 days. Some of these, like Hickory King, Blounts’ 
Prolific, Pisa Queen and Burrill & Whitman, gave one-third more 
corn to the acre than the leading flint variety, Thoroughbred White. 
Cleveland’s Colossal, a sweet corn, yielded better than the flint 
corns. 
In recent years it has been found best to grow the largest dent 
corn that will mature sufficiently for ensilage, that is, will bring 
the kernels to the glazing stage before frost. 
FORAGE CROPS. 
Many forage crops have been tested in plat or field by the Sta- 
tion, and descriptions of new or little known species will be found 
scattered through many reports. For many years the Station main- 
tained a row of small plats, devoted to the various grasses and 
forage plants. This was always a source of much pleasure and 
satisfaction to visitors, and undoubtedly was useful to many farmers 
through the ready opportunity it gave to compare well-known 
grasses, clovers and similar plants with new ones recommended by 
seedsmen or agricultural writers. 
Aside from alfalfa and alsike clover, none of these forage crops 
has gained any prominence in the State as a whole, though soy 
beans and cowpeas have been grown with some success for forage 
and soil renovation on the lighter soils in the southern half of the 
State. 
Sorghums of various types have been grown for forage, but 
more extensively tested for sugar or syrup-making, as noted else- 
where. In quite extensive tests*®? amber sorghum gave larger yields 
to the acre than corn during two seasons. Much better yields 
were secured by growing in drills than in hills. Notwithstanding 
its promise as a forage crop, sorghum has not attracted favorable 
TR ptie52535. 52,10 1000)* 
* Rpt. 8:266-270 (1889). 
Rpt. 3:103, 104 (1884); 7:331 (1888) ; 8:35, 263-266 (1889). 
