In recent years it has been the policy of the Department to limit the testing of wheats to a few standard sorts and the newer varieties advertised by seedsmen. A few old varieties are re tained from year to year to determine how long the yield and quality can be maintained without deterioration, and to furnish a standard with which to compare the novelties as they appear from year to year. The following are some of the lessons taught by the experiments with varieties of wheat. 1. Varities differ greatly in their hardiness, adaptation to soil, and in their ability to resist scab and rust. 2. All wheats appear to be equally vulnerable to the attacks of loose smut. 3. Varieties of wheat differ much in stiffness of straw, yield and quality of grain, under like conditions as to soil and treatment. 4. The light colored and soft wheats become darker and more flinty as the result of trial on the Station farm. 5. Most wheats do not fully sustain the reputation for prolificacy given them by the seedsmen. 6. Numerous highly prized new varieties do not compare at all favorably with standard well known wheats. 7. All varieties of wheat appear very susceptible to treatment. If neglected they will deteriorate, but they will quickly respond to generous treatment in the way of careful selection of seed, proper fertilization and preparation of soil, etc. 8. Varieties of wheat do not necessarily "run out." Under proper care the yield and quality of acclimated wheats may be maintained from year to year. 9. It is imposible to predict on the record made here, what any given wheat will do in a different soil or in a remote part of the State. In some cases, two wheats do equally well here, when if taken elsewhere vary so greatly that one may prove a decided success, and the other a failure. 10. No "rust proof" or "fly proof" wheat has been found; and none of the wheats tried have been able to pass severe winters uninjured. FORAGE CROPS. By W. B. Anderson. The purpose of this report is to call the attention of stockmen to a number of forage crops, new and old, that may lengthen the pasture season or that may be used as a supplemental forage when drouths make the pastures insufficient to secure profitable returns. To prolong the pasture season would add millions of dollars to the live stock interests. It would enable the farmer to keep more stock on the same area of land, the by-products of the farmı could be better utilized and more manure would be produced and returned to the soil. It would also prevent millions of sheep and cattle from being placed upon the market during the fall months, in an unfinished condition causing a glutted market and falling prices. Following will be found a list of forage crops that have been grown for several years here and elsewhere in Indiana. Also a number of plants that have been tested at the Station but one sea son. Experiments at the Station. The soil is a dark brown loam, with considerable gravel here and there near the surface. From 12 to 24 inches below, the subsoil consists largely of coarse gravel which gives perfect drainage and in a dry season does not contain sufficient moisture to produce a maximum yield. The season, however, was a very favorable one and the well distributed rainfall supplied moisture during the greater part of the season. A Breaking and cultivating. The land was broken about eight inches deep, turning under a coating of barn yard manure. perfect seed bed was made before planting. The various crops to be tested were planted June 1 and 2, when the ground was warm and full of moisture. Two plats were sown of each variety, using a wheat drill. In sowing one plat, the drill was set at one bushel per acre (drill hoes eight inches apart) every drill hoe sowing, and the other plat was sown with the drill set at two bushels per acre. The two intervening hoes were closed. This gave a distance of 24 inches between the drilled rows. All plats sown in rows 24 inches apart were cultivated during the early growth of the crop with a spring-toothed cultivator. The plats sown in drills eight inches apart received no cultivation. Corn. Common field corn was sown in rows only. It furnished an abundance of forage from August 1 to September 15. If planted early and in successive periods, it can be made to furnish forage from July 15 to October 15. Stowell's Evergreen] grew well in the cultivated rows, but very poorly in the uncultivated rows eight inches apart. Its rapid. growth makes it ready for feeding earlier than field corn. It can be used as a forage from July 1 to August 1. The forage from this crop is well suited to supplement short pastures. Kafir Corn. Two varieties of Kafir corn were tested, viz:-Red and White. The growth and yields of the two varieties were apparently the same. The sowing was too thick on both plats to secure the best yields. The stalks were too small to support the heads, hence the crop lodged badly. Kafir corn is not equal to field corn for forage; our stock has not eaten it so well and at the Station farm it yields less per acre. Its redeeming feature is its ability to withstand drouth. It will oftentimes produce a second growth that affords considerable forage. The cultivated rows produced the best yields. Sweet Sorghum. These two The Orange and the Amber varieties were sown. varieties are on a par as forage crops. They were also sown too thick unless intended for pasture. The crop lodged badly on both plats. The cultivated rows made better yields than the solid sowing. All kinds of stock ate sweet sorghum greedily. The early cutting produced a second crop that came into head and almost equaled the first crop in yield. Every farmer in need of a forage crop should give this plant a trial. Four varieties of sweet sorghum were sent here for trial by the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Because of the small amount of seed sent, the varieties were sown in rows 24 inches apart, at the rate of one bushel per acre. Every variety grew larger and taller than the Orange or Amber, and made much larger yields. The varieties tested are named below in order of yield:-Coleman's, Kansas Orange, the M. B., and Folger's Early. One year's test is not sufficient to determine the compartive merits of these new varieties. Their increased yields over the older varieties are, no doubt, largely due to thinner sowing of seed. Dwarf Essex Rape. This forage has been in somwhat general use in Canada and the northern States for several years. A number of farmers in Indiana report very favorably upon the economic value of this plant. It can be sown as early as the ground will permit in the spring and if a succession of forage is desired through the summer, it may be sown at intervals of two or three weeks, thus furnishing food for the greater part of the season. If sown in July or August, in a good season, it will furnish pasture until a hard freeze kills it, often times until December 15, or even until the holidays. It fills the gap made by drouth in late summer and fall. If cut for soiling or pastured close, it will in a favorable season grow a second or even a third crop without resowing. Like other rapid growing plants, an abundance of miosture is needed, to secure good results. The seed bed should be well prepared and free from weeds. If sown broadcast from three to five pounds per acre are recommended. If a good seed bed and an abundance of moisture are provided the minimum amount is sufficient. Increase this amount if less favorable conditions prevail. The rate per acre when sown in rows varies from one to three pounds. It will usually pay to cultivate the rape, in which case sow in rows 18 to 24 inches apart. The rape may be sown in the standing corn at the time of the last cultivation and thus save expense in the preparation of the seed bed. This plant is especially recommended to farmers growing sheep and swine. Leguminous Plants. In estimating the agricultural value of leguminous plants, more must be considered than the yield in pounds of seed, stalk, and foliage. The roots become abiding places for bacteria that are capable of converting inert nitrogen into an available form for plant growth. Again the food contained in the leguminous plants is much more valuable than that found in an equal weight of other plants, as corn or sorghum, because of the greater proportion of protein compounds. These plants, as rule, do not produce so large a yield per acre as the grain producing plants and are not so well eaten by all kinds of stock. |