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FORAGE PLANTS. 



BY C. H. DWINELLE, PH. B., BERKELEY, ALAMEDA COUNTY. 



There is no subject of greater importance to the farmers of Cali- 

 fornia than that of forage crops. The feeding of domestic animals 

 must, with rare exceptions, form a very important feature in the 

 rural economy of all countries where agriculture is carried on for 

 any great length of time. Not only do these animals furnish us with 

 food, clothing, and motive power, but they do it without impoverish- 

 ing the soil to any great degree. Under proper management, with 

 the aid of forage crops and animals to utilize them, poor soils may 

 be made good, and good soils made better. Tracts of nearly pure 

 sand have in this way been transformed into rich black soils. 



To be sure, there are cases where sediment brought on by natural 

 or artificial irrigation, can be relied upon to renew the soil. In other 

 cases still mineral fertilizers will suppty what is needed to maintain 

 a succession of crops. As a rule, however, the successful cultivation 

 of land, for a long term of years, must be accompanied by the raising 

 of animals, of some kind, in considerable numbers. 



The valuable elements taken from the soil must be re- 

 placed, should be one of the farmer's first rules. The disregard of 

 this law has reduced to sterility some of the fairest portions of the 

 earth. As notable examples of this bad result, we have some of the 

 countries bordering on the Mediterranean, and in numerous cases 

 the cotton and tobacco fields of the Southern States. 



In many parts of our own favored State, the unwise persistence in 

 raising crops for shipment has so reduced the fertility of the soil, 

 that it scarcely returns a profit to the cultivator. It seems hard for 

 our practical (?) farmers to admit, that if you draw repeatedly on 

 your bank, and make no deposits, you will finally exhaust your 

 account, and have your checks returned dishonored. Inventive 

 genius may give us machines that will so reduce the expenses of 

 farming that a very light crop will still pay. Summer fallowing, by 

 storing a part of one year's moisture until the next, turning in a 

 quantity of vegetable matter, and weathering the soil, may give fair 

 crops for a time. The great fact remains, however, that if land is 

 used for crops that are to be consumed elsewhere, and no return is 

 made to it for the crops sent away, it must ultimately be exhausted. 



The tobacco raiser sends to the markets of the world the choicest 

 elements of his soil, to be scattered broadcast in ashes from the 

 smoker's pipe or cigar. Land exhausted by this crop is very difficult 

 to reclaim, but it can be brought back by intelligent mixed farming. 



The robbing of the cotton lands is quite inexcusable, as it is the 

 seed which makes the main draught upon it. If this is returned to 

 the soil from which it came, instead of being allowed to rot where it 

 is thrown as it comes from the gin, or being sold to those who have 



