ob .- 1‘ an. .3 .3. 9...: ~ 3 a...» nu... mac .3 G 7.. c. 0-169 o ‘-—L- at u x 1—“.— Thisistoeertifgthatthe thesis entitled A Study of Alfelfe Seeding The In Relation to Crop Establish.“ presented by John Edward Frith has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for MS degree mm fines 44m, Ma1|or professor Date my fig 1953 ammmmmmmmm 00649 6768*" -‘vCQD-‘r C ' c.- N- —-'-§- ' - 'fl‘“ — .- . - - - ”coat-O..-" . s. a A.W'*—" I ‘ ... .o- o..." "' - .- —-— " .A r‘ we .l.'" ' I..‘Q‘O-‘- . l 2' ‘ .— .."l L - _’. ‘ / . f s ' ~ g- '1 t). 'n i o I l t i J ’ .‘ " fl , -' 1' . '- I ." c _ 0 v A P ‘ I a a I ‘1 . L. 1 Jeri" n .t“ ’; . h, h".- “"‘\ ,. -\lu \' 2}“. \ . A I \ e‘ u» 3'1: v.. e s _* 5'. x‘ . ‘L I. a f . .\. L, x I. A’-v l a 'j i" f ' PLACE IN serum aoxm removethle eheekoutfrom your record ., . . ' “2_ f, , TO AVOID FINES return on or baton «to due. . R. -¢ ' _ ! . “a n. t , I} ,. ‘ k, A <. , . .. ~ . ' - _ w. - I ' ~s'5\_ . ; - ’ s . . e. ‘I . ‘ ‘ . ‘ ‘ I' . ,¢ p -‘ . . . - _. I - ‘ . .. _ V. _ ‘ ,' 1‘ ‘ . A "-".v\ QWJ, L. A... l I . ‘. a f ‘. r '3 ,I‘ .. , _ ‘ v ‘ s .~l ‘ ' '. ' '- . ; I . .h - t ‘ . d.-\ | .5 . u. r ‘ l . ‘ ‘9' ' c " n . ‘- ' v “ . . U ‘- . . . ‘ ‘ l . . ' . ‘ 1 ' . .. . . . .- ‘I — l t " ‘ .1 u I v ~ s t . .' . . r.\ ‘ , ‘ I _ I -~ . . t . - . . . o‘ 7 ' . , N ‘ A ‘ | n .' v A . _ ‘ e ’ n , o . u ) " , _ . ‘ $ . . , I . ‘ s l ' . ' ‘ . . . '- . . ' .‘ ' . ‘ . ' . l ‘ . . t .. . ‘ | r A STUDY OF AIFALFA SEEDING TIME IN RELATION TO CROP ESTABLISHMENT by JOHN EDWARD gym A Theeie Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies of Michigan State College of Agriculture 'and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Farm Crepe 1953 gratin? 3 f ACKNOWLEDGMENT The writer wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. C. M; Harrison for his constructive criticism and helpful advice in the preparation of this thesis. Appreciation is also due G. A. Crabb, Director of the Michigan Hydrologic Research Project for making soil.moisture and temperature data available for use in this study. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Review of Literature EIperinental Procedure Experimental.Results Winter Cultures Buried Seed Packets Stand Counts Discussion Conclusions Bibliography PAGE INTROIXJ CTION The real core of the rotation on any farm in Michigan is its sod crops, especially the legumes which produce high quality roughage, aid in erosion control and maintenance of soil organic matter. Alfalfa, in the last few decades, has become Michigan's most valuable and dependable hay and pasture legume. With the increased en- phasis in recent years on "grassland“ fanning its use may even become more inportant. 0.8. Census (27) figures show that the alfalfa acreage, out for hay, in Michigan has grown from 6,553 acres in 1910 to 524,657 acres in 1930, and 1,179,987 acres in l9h5. 7 One of the main problems in alfalfa production is the establisment of successful seedings. Each section of the world has enviromental factors, climate, soil and crop relationships peculiar to that area. Within limits, soil can be tailored to fit a crop; but as yet-an has not naterially changed the climate. Therefore, the purpose of this ex- periment is to study the relationship of seeding time to alfalfa estab- lishment under East Lansing, Hichigan conditions. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Many studies have been made concerning the effect of the rate of planting, the depth of planting, method of seeding, the pH of the soil, the fertility levels of the soil, clipping or grazing in the year of seeding, low temperature, ice, and adapted varieties of seed on estab- lishment and/or maintenance of alfalfa stands. However, little work has been done on the effect of the time of seeding on stand establish- lent. One of the earliest references to the time of seeding is in the Bible; Ecclesiastes 11:6, (2), ”In the morning sow t}: seed, and in the evening withhold not thyr hand; for thou knowsst not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." Two other Biblical references (2), which blanket the whole subject, are The Parable of the Sewer, Hark #:3-8, and Genesis 8:22, "While the earth maineth, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, sumer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.‘I Thatcher et al (25) and Willard (30) of Ohio found that the stand count was a better measure of surety of a method of seeding than was the yield of hay in the first year after seeding. It has the further advantage of giving significant data without carrying experiments through to a hay crop. “Alfalfa in Michigan" (1) and Sewell (2h) recomend a good seed bed, about 7 inches deep, firm to the depth of the furrow slice. Moore (19) Hurphy and Amy (20) found that k to i inch deep plantings gave optim- energence of alfalfa. ‘ -3- Rate of seeding recomendations range from 5 to 8 pounds per acre by Better (7) to 10 to 12 pounds per acre in the Ohio "Handbook of Ex- perinsnts in Agronomy" (22). A Husbach and King (21) in their study conclude that the temperature conditions and the distribution as well as the overall amount of rain- fall mst be considered in interpreting one or two years seeding data. Hilton (18), of Wales, found that the amount of rain subsequent to any sowing played as important a part in effecting soil germination as did the temperature. Relationships were: High tenperature and low rain-"poor germination; High temperature and adequate rain—be st germination. Given the same temperature for two periods, the one with the most rain will give the best germination. Dunn (a) working with snooth Vetch and Sweet Clover, found that while freezing weather softens hard seed, especially in moist soil, the seeds which have absorbed enough water to swell were either injured or killed by freezing. He also found that the permeable seeds produce radicles at tem- peratures slightly above freezing. Coffnan (5), in Kentucky, found that though alfalfa germinated to a limited degree at 32 to 31.01“. it was very weak. Good germination and strong seedlings started at about 1.0%. Sellshop and Salmon (23) found frost and freesing caused more severe injury on wet than dry ground. Sellshop'and Sal-on (23) and Tysdal and Pieters (26) found that young 4.- plants were more sensitive than older ones. Hidgley (17) in work with alfalfa and dodder found that in alternate freezing and thawing, above 23°F. the first freeze was the most effective in increasing pemeability of hard seed. He also found that continued moisture for about two months, without freezing, was as effective in re- ducing hard seed as alternate freezing and thawing. Liggatt (15) and (16) , of Alberta, found that during the first growing season hard seeds had only 50% of the agricultural value of the permeable but in the long haul were equal. Additional germination after the ‘ winter was entirely due to hard seeds. Harrington (10) found that impermeable seeds) go through the winter in a frozen condition and germinate 50 to 60% the following spring. Bollowell (12) found that interspersing of short rainy periods with rapid drying of a soil surface and dry weather are fatal to geninating seeds and young seedlings. The literature on time of planting, coming fron widely different climatic conditions, is in considerable disagreement. Kiesselbach and Anderson (11.) , ef Nebraska, found that seeding alone was lost dependable. Best seeding time was either spring or early fall if condition were favorable for prompt geninati on and continued fall growth. Seeding after September 1 increased the danger of winter killing. Brooks (3), in Massachusetts, reports that late smer sowing on carefully prepared seedbeds are the least risky. Hansen (9) found in 8 years work tint under irrigation in Montana fall. seeding in cat stubble. out-produced spring seedings. In Idaho work (13) broadcasting without a nurse crop proved best. -5- Uith proper tillage, seedings up to July gave satisfactory stands. Fall seedings or seedings on snow or honey-combed soil gave poor stands. Cox and Hegee (6) state that for smaller seedings, seedbeds must be weed free before planting. They found that seedings after mid August were more apt to winter kill in the northern states. Haynes (11), in Ohio work concluded that the high freezing risk of March seedings could be avoided by broadcasting half of the seeding early and drilling the remainder later. Hollowell's (12) studies with low hop clover in Missouri, North Carolina and Kentucky show that even in the favorable years December, ' January and February seedings produced good stands, but spring growth was unsatisfactory. September and October Seedings gave the best results. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Preliminary work on this experiment was begun in July 191.8. Two lots of certified Grin ohm seed were secured. One with a very low percentage of hard seed, with 79% quick germination and 10% hard seed, was secured from Montana. The other, with 1.8% quick germination and 51% hard seed, was secured through the Michigan Crop Improvesent Association. The seedbed was prepared in the normal manner by plowing, dragging and cultipacking. Seedings were made directly on the seedbed without fertilisers or any additional seedbed preparation except that weeds were heed off on the plots to be planted the day the plantings were made. hiring the winter months, the ice and snow was removed before planting. Except on the frozen ground, seed was raked lightly with a garden rake to “701' its ' -6— Seed, after inoculation, was planted on duplicate six by six foot plots at the rate of ten pounds per acre every two weeks beginning August 11., 191.8 and ending July 30, 191.9. Seeding was done by mixing the seed with sand and distributing it as evenly as possible with a large salt shaker using a cries-cross pattern. At the tins of planting a counted package of 200 seeds of the same lot was buried in each plot, to be dug up at later dates and examined. These seeds were placed in a water permeable celophane tube in a paraffin impregnated cardboard tube with its ends plugged with cotton, so that moixture could get to the seed and yet the seed could be recovered. Seed packets were dug up on November 6, 191.8, Harsh 15, 191.9 and October 29, 191.9 for examination. Because of poor technique and planning, samples one . to six were only estimated since they appeared in solid-moldy masses. The other samples were checked for the number germinated in the field, the number of seeds molded and the number not molded. Germination on these were run in the germinator both for quick and total germination. Stand counts of plants per square foot were taken by means of a one square foot counting ring on November 2, 191.8, August 21.-27, 191.9, November 5-9, 191.9 and 33:26-31, 1950. At the same time the November 191.9 stand counts were taken, height ‘ measurements were made to the nearest inch and comparative photographs of representative plants were taken. Soil analysis was run in the soils laboratory with the results of pH ranging from 6.9 to 7.8. Soil type had previously been determined by a Soils Department survey to be Conover loam. -7- Daily soil moisture and soil temperature readings (at the depth of 1 inch) for the duration of the experiment were taken from Hydrologic Survey data on an alfalfa sod which was on slightly lighter soil with a northern exposure. Rain-fall and air temperature data was obtained from the East Lansing 0.3. Weather Bureau Station reports. To obtain additional data on the effect of late winter and early spring conditions in planting, beginning Jtnuaryl5, 191.8, 100 alfalfa seeds were planted in duplicate 6 inch clay pots and placed out of doors for 1. weeks and 6 weeks respectively. Plantings were continued through April 23, 191.8. At the end of 1. weeks one culture was brought into the green-house. At the endvof 6 weeks the duplicate culture was brought in. Observations, stand counts and pictures were made on the plantings through those of March 26, 191.8. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS Heather and Ground Conditions The fall of 191.8 was dry with only .11 inch rain in August after the 15th and less than half normal rain-fall in September and October. Along with this dryness the last half of August was 7° above normal and September averaged ‘0 above normal. Early October was cold with light frosts on the hth, 5th, 11.th and 17th. The first killing frost was on the 18th. Late October was warm. The November temperature with a mean of 1.2.90, was the highest on record. The rain-fall was average. The winter of 191.8-191.9 was quite open with temperatures averaging ‘ o from 2 to 6 1". above normal and with snow-fall averaging about 5 inches per -8- nonth below normal. March 191.9 was approximately normal with the usual up and down fluctu- ations of temperature with a low (10°) on the 1st and a high (71°) on the 29th. April was of average temperature for the season but three quarters of the rain-fall came from the 11.th through the 18th and left the first and last parts of the month dry. Light frosts occurred on the 10th, 17th and 28th. The last snow of the winter occurred on the 17th of the month. May started hot and dry with a record high for so early in the season. On Hay 6th the tenpsrature was 89°F. Three quarters of the monthly rain- fall eccurred on the 18th and 19th. A heavy frost came on May llth and light frosts came on the 26th and 29th. Early June continued warm and dry, with the last light frost of the season occurring on June 8th. Late June and July were warm with adequate rain-fall. August 191.9, though normal in temperature, was the second driest since 1931.. September continued dry with slightly below normal temperatures. First frosts of the season came on Septenber 24th and 29th. October 1969 was one of the warmest on record with the 9th, 10th and llth all going over 80°F. The dry spell was broken on the 3rd. A killing frost cane on the 25th and the first trace of snow on the 31st. November precipitation and temperature averages were near normal. However, November 20th was below normal and a record low of -5.loF. was set on the 26th. There was a snow-fall of 7.8 inches on Thanksgiving Day. --9- Though December 191.9 and January 1950 were both warmer and wetter than normal, snow-fall was below normal. Only 29 days of December and January averaged below freezing temperatures with a December high of 62° and a January record high of 65°F. February was variable, starting wam and ending cold. It had more snow than any other month of the winter. March had normal rain-fall with the last snow on the 27th and slight- ly below normal temperature ranging from a minimum of 3° to a maxim of 50° in a variable, fashion. The average was 28. 2°F. April 1950 was one of the coldest and wettest on record. May was average in temperature and below normal in rain-fall which was scattered. A The monthly summary of rain-fall, table I, shows that both the fall and spring of the year the seedings were made in, August 191.8-July 191.9, were below normal in amount of rain-fall. -10- Table I . RAIN-FAIL BY MONTH Month Year Amount of precipitation in Inches Total Above average Below averagg August 191.8 1.86” .96" septOmbCr 1e 62 1e 29 October 1.01 1.1.6 November 2.h9 .01 December 2.23 .16 January 19h9 3.h8 1.66 P01315131" 2.107 e 57 Mb 2. 61 e 26 my 2e35 loo? June h.89 1.38 July 1.. 78 1. 68 August 1.61 1.21 September 1. 91 1.00 Octobu‘ 2e35 e12 “war lo 60 e88 December h.70 2.63 January 1950 3.61 1.79 February 3.3A 1.hh larch 2.39 .0h April 6.53 1.95 May 1e 96 1e“ -11- As shown in table II the first killing frost in the fall of 191.8 came one week later than the average; the one in the spring of 191.9 came on May 11th, 9 days later; and the fall 191.9 first killing frost was two weeks later than average. Though table II from weather reports (29) and field observations show considerable glazing in the winter months, only twice was it found necessary to use a shovel or pick to remove ice or crusted snow from the plots in order to make a seeding on the scheduled day. Those were February 1, 191.9, snow, and February 12, ice. Soil moisture, soil temperature and air temperature are the three most important climatic factors affecting seeding time of alfalfa. Bi- weekly averages of the =e are shown in Graph I for the period beginning with August 191.8 and extending through May 1950. The ground being frozen from March 1 to 26, 191.8 and from the middle of January to the middle of April, 1950 made the ground moisture percentage figures for those periods unobtainable. . D WINTER CULTURES Seedings of 100 alfalfa seeds were made during the winter in 6 inch clay pots and immediately put outdoors for I. and 6 weeks respectively before bringing back into the green-house. Lot I contained the high per- centage of hard seed and Lot 11 the low percentage of hard seed. As shown in Table III, the winter plantings mane out-doors did not germinate until late February. Plantings made as late as March 26 were frosted. Table II. -12- DATES 0F FQOST AND ICE ON GROUND From'weather Reports and Field Observations Date October December January February March April Mhy June September October Hove-bar December January February April A, 19h8 5 1h 17 18 1h 15 15 17 SBFGfilfiGrB'Sq a3 818.333 c.8881: 835 So RasmBfiFfiwh’x’BE s 19h9 . 1950 Cond_i_t_i3r_i Light frost Light frost Heavy frost Light frost with trace of snow Killing frost Glazed Glazed Glazed and frozen ground Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Snow crusted Glazed (used pick before seeding) Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Frost out 1 inch Frost out Light frost Light frost Light frost Heavy frost Light frost Light frost Light frost Light frost Light frost Light frost Killing frost Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed Glazed kW 0... 0...... h." 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Hdfion. uhoovcH uhOogflO eastern sundae wears» s35. mammm OOH ho mGZHnmmm Boa eHHH oanma fifififi8fi38°8° “9’8 .nad .nnd .nnd efi‘ .nmq Cg 0&4 Oh; .hmz Oh; O'H‘x. HH HH HH NH 0N .uex . ooh .A0h .noh -15. To show the results of the winter seedings being left out in the winter temperatures for varying lengths of time, pictures were taken of the cultures, and those from.two representative planting dates Figures 1 and 2, comparing the effect on both Lot I and Lot II, were used. FIGURE I ‘WINTER ALEALFA CULEURES Lot Number I I II II Date Planted - January 15, 19h9 Left Outdoors a weeks 6 weeks A weeks 6 weeks Viable Plants 75% 51% 17% 21% Lot I - High 5 Hard Seed Lot II - Low 1 Hard Seed ~16- __ -_ . i- i ”.7“ FIGURE II WINTER ALFALFA (IILTURES Lot Number I II I II Date Planted - February 26 , 191.9 Left Outdoors 1. weeks 1. weeks 6 weeks 6 weeks Viable Plants 39 51 6 1 Number Frosted 0 O 35 32 and killed Figures I and Figure II show quite definitely that plantings left outdoors for the shorter time, 1. weeks, in the winter temperatures gave a higher final stand count, in most cases, than those left out for 6 weeks. -17- BJRIED SEED PACKETS Not mach useful information was obtained from the buried seed packets. The first three plantings were only estimated as they were solid masses of mold. September 25th and October 29th plantings had good ground germination and the germination of those put in the geminator brought them up to about 75% total germination. October 9th was the last moldy one. October 23rd plantings, Lot I -13, Lot II -6, germinated in the ground and both had a total germination of over 80%. November through January 15th plantings neither germinated in the ground in the packets or in the germinator over 1%. January 29th Lot I germinated, 85% in the ground and 1% in the germ- inator and Lot II 23% identifiable in the ground, with a mass of disin- tegrated material also in the tube, and 1% in the germinator. Plantings from February- on were useless as the tubes were full of dirt and angle- worms and in many cases the tubes had broken down. STAND COUNTS AND FIELD OBSERVATIONS Four stand counts. were taken: The first, on November 2, 191.8, was of plantings through October 23, with August and both September plantings giving good counts. August 28th gave the highest count in both seed lots. The September 25th planting was Just in the cotyledon stage. The second count, in August 191.9, was through the May 21st ,planting. Lot I seedings gave counts of 10 plants per square foot or better on August 11.th and 28th, February 26, and April 9th through May 21st. Lot II seedings gave counts of 10 or better on August 28th, and April 23rd -13- through May 21st. Only the August 11.th seeding gave a higher count for Lot II. The third count, in November 191.9, gave counts for Lot I of 10 or better on all seedings between February 26th and August 28th with the highest counts coming in April, early May and July. Lot II counts of 10 or over occurred between April 9th and July 30th except for the June 1.th seeding. } The final count, shown in Table IV, in May 1950, gave Let I counts of over 10 square foot on August 11.th, April 9th, July 2nd and 16th and Lot II counts of over 10 per square. foot on August 11.th and April 9th. Graphical presentation of these counts is given in Graph II. On November 2, 191.8, some of the October 9th planting was observed to be Just coming through the soil. On lovember 20th, an occasional sprout from the October 23rd plant- ing could be seen. At the time of the December 1.th seeding, only the August and. Septem- ber llth seedings looked satisfactory. The ground did not begin to freeze in the plots until the 1st of January and was completely frozen the 15th of January. Frost in the soil had started to go out by. the 26th of February, and was completely out by April 9th. ' The first new plants, including the April 9th planting, were observed on April 23rd. From May 21st on it was necessary to remove the weeds with a wheelhoe before making the planting. -19.. Table IV FINAL STAND COUNT Average of Duplicate Plots May 26-31, 1950 Date of Planting Lot Number Plants per Square Foot August It, l9h8 III I 12 II 7 28 I 10 II 12 September 11 I 2 ‘ ‘ II 1 25 I 1 II 0 October 9 I 1 II 2% 23 I 1 II k November 6 I 1 II 1‘; 20 I 2 II 1 December ‘A I 1 ' II 2 18 I A . II 3 January 1, 19A9 I 6 II 2 15 I. 1 II 3 29 I 3 II 2 February 12 I A II A 26 I 10 II A March 12 ‘ I 6 . II 7 26 I 9 II A April 9 I 1h. II 11 23 I 6 II 6 May 7 I A II A 21 I 1 11 *Lot I- .June A I % High % Hard seed II 1 Lot II 18 I A Low % Hard seed II 2 July 2 I 16 II 5 16 I 13 II A 30 . . I 3* «H mm vH on on“ one S» on e 3 S cannon .nau ome owe nmm am. 1 PH... HRH he: 3: 33.. .nm... :1. and >2” .50 run. 2.... 33 can: I lemma 8.1.9. v :3 - 3 Sn .. HT. 206% o mfihm 93 w xnum - n p3. .. H43 53m 33 .m tango.“ on on o h\\ 33 .54“ 8....” ..< A N 3 /\ a. on w a m ) m . < p o m 33 .mon fiance- 2 a m on m a a 4 A o m 3 onaanuum hex < < o «586 B «and 23a ”50%.. i, .. 98.- 32.3 E 2.3m, <5<3 3 mtSoU Sam on S g 558 -21- DISCUSSION The stand count, plants per square foot, was used as a final measure of crop establishment. Even though there can be some variation in stand 'with no significant change in yield (30), the stand count shows which time or times of seeding are most apt to give satisfactory stands without carrying the crop through to maturity. It also, by being repeated at in- tervals, gives changes in stand. Seeding too late in the fall gives unsatisfactory stands. Either the alfalfa plant does not get enough growth to build up an ample food reserve and is winter killed, or it is so small and tender that it is killed by the fall frosts. The winter being Open, and slightly above average temperature, probably resulted in swelling and sprouting of seed sown in the late fall and winter and early spring, thus causing them to be killed in the next cold snap. I Early summer seedings ran into rather heavy weed competition. Summer seedings would have a better chance of getting established if the seedbed ‘was prepared shortly before seeding rather than the fall before. Height measurements taken on summer and early fall seedings in the same year a seeding is made would be of value in determining desirable height for winter survival. However, as taken in this experiment, in the second fall, the value is much less because the late summer'and early fall seedings have already survived one winter. The rest have had nearly a full season to get established. -22.. CONCLUSIONS 1. Seed lots having a high percentage of hard seed give as good or better stand under central Michigan conditions as do those with an extremely low percentage of hard seed, particularly in the late June and July seedings, and the very early spring seedings. 2. Early summer seedings were unsatisfactory due to water deficiencies and weed competition.. 3. According to the data of this experiment, the first two weeks of April and the period of July and August give the best chance for good alfalfa establishment. l. 2. 3. 1+. 5. 9. 10. BIBLIOGRAPHY Alfalfa in Michigan. Mich. Agr. Exp. Sta. Cir. Bul. 15A, 1936. The Biblee Brooks, W.P., Alfalfa. Mass. Sta. Bul. 15A, 1911.. Bouyoucos, G.J. and Mick, A. H., An Electrical Resistance Method for Continuous Measurement of Soil Moisture Under Field Conditions. Hich. Agr. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bul. 172, 1940. Coffman, F. A., The Minimum.Temperature of Germination of Seeds. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 15:257-270, 1923. Cox, J.F. and Hegee, C.R., Alfalfa, p. 36-37, Wiley and Sons, New York, New York, 1928. Dexter, S. T., What Makes Better Alfalfa. Mich. Ext. Fold. 61, 191.3. Dunn, L.E., Influence of Low Temperature Treatments on the Germination of Seeds of Sweet Clover and Smooth Vetch. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 31:687-691., 1939. Hansen, D., Work with Field Crops on Huhtley Reclaimation Project Experiment Fem, U.S.D.A., B.P.I., Work Huntley Expt. Farm., 1917. Harrington, G. T., Agricultural Value of Impemeable Seeds. Jour. Agri. Res. 6:761-796, 1916. Haynes, J ., Band Seeding-~Key to Better Legune Stands. Successful 'F3mn8, 51:38, 39’ 90’ l953e Hollowell, E.A., The Establishment of Low Hap Clover, Trifolium Procunbens, as Affected by Time of Seeding and Growth of Associated Grasses. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 30:589-598, 1938. Field CrOp Work in Idaho, 1923. Idaho Sta. Bul. 133, 1921+. Kiesselbach, T.A. and Anderson, A., Alfalfa in Nebraska. Neb. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bul., 222, 1927. Liggatt, CM. , The Agricultural Value of Hard Seeds of Alfalfa and Sweet Clover Under Alberta Conditions. Sci. Agri. 8:21.3-366, 1927. 16. 17. 18 . 19. 22. 23. 2h. 25. 26. -2g. Liggatt, CIH., The Agricultural Value of Hard Seeds of Sweet Clover in Alberta. Sci. Agri. 9. 683, 1929. Hidgley, A.R., Effect of Alternate Freezing and Thawing on the Im- permeability of Alfalfa and Dodder Seeds. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 18: 1087-1089. 1926. Hilton, WLE.J., An Investigation into the Soil Germination and Yield of Certain Crucifers, Clover, Italian Rye-Grass and Chicory Sown at Three-Weekly Intervals from May to November, 1925. The Jour. of Agri. A: 222-242, 1928. Meore, R.P., Seedling Emergence of Small Seeded Legumes and Grasses. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 35:370-381. 19h3. .Murphy, R.P. and Arny, A.C., The Emergence of Grass and Legumes Planted at Various Depths in Five Soil Types. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. 31:17- 28, 1939.. Husbach, F.L. and King. M.L., The'weather as a Factor in Crop Production. Jour. Amer. Soc. Agron. l6:381-383,,192A. Handbook of Experiments in Agronomy. Ohio Exp. Sta. Spec. Cir. 53. 1938. Sellshop, J.P.E. and Salmon, S.C., The Influence of Chilling Above the Freezing Point on Certain CrOps. Jour. Agr. Res. 37:315-338, 1928. Sewell, NQC., Tillage-A Review of the Literature. Jour. Agr. Res. 11:269-290, 1919. ' Thatcher, L.E., Willard, C.J. and Lewis, R.D., Better*Methods of Seeding Mada". Ohio Agri. 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