The intensive production of herbage for crop-drying: Part I. A study of the productivity of two annual crops and two leys and of their responses in yield and chemical composition to applications of nitrogenous manure

Abstract

SUMMARY1. The importance of uniform production of herbage for crop-drying is emphasized.2. A replicated experiment is described which compared four crops, two annuals and two leys under four manurial treatments which included a control and three applications of fertilizer (3½ cwt. ‘nitrochalk’) distributed during the season in three ways.3. Vetches yielded 2500–3000 lb. dry matter per acre of 28–30% crude-protein content in two cuts.Barley yielded 2500–3000 lb. dry matter per acre of 18–21% crude protein in five to six cuts.Leys yielded 4000–5000 lb. dry matter per acre of 15–18% crude protein in four cuts in their first year, and 5000–6000 lb. dry matter per acre of 15–18% crude protein in five cuts in their second year.