20 FORAGE CROPS IN NEBRASKA. 



cultivated pasture and meadow o-msses, such as ))romc-grass, orchard 

 grass, meadow fescue, and timothy, though the latter is short lived. 



Miscellaneous.— A.h\([q from the two large groups mentioned above 

 there are a few forage plants which bear no close natural relation to 

 these and are most conveniently considered under this heading. The 

 only important plant of this category that is adapted to Nebraska con- 

 ditions is rape. Australian saltbush belongs here and has received some 

 attention, but as yet it has not shown itself to be of particular value 

 in that State. 



METHODS OF UTILIZING THE CROPS. 



Pastvres. — In general the term pasture may be applied to all cases 

 where stock is allowed to feed directly upon the growing plants. 

 Where the area is unfenced and consists of native vegetation it is 

 called open range, or simply range. In some parts of the United 

 States, especially the Southern States, the range consists of forest, 

 but in Nebraska the range is the unfenced portion of the Great Plains 

 region, the vegetation consisting of native grasses. The subject of 

 the range will be considered in another part of this bulletin. 



In the ordinary and popular sense pasture refers to fenced areas of 

 native or cultivated perennial forage crops upon which stock feeds 

 at will. All the perennial forage plants are used for this purpose, 

 although alfalfa and clover must be used with caution in order to 

 prevent bloating. 



Another important class of pastures, especially where land is rela- 

 tively valuable and a more intensive system of agriculture is employed, 

 is that of temporary or annual pastures. 



In winter-wheat regions it is a common practice to pasture the grain 

 during favorable portions of the fall and winter. In this case the 

 pasturing is incidental. On the other hand it is a not uncommon prac- 

 tice to sow wheat or, more frequently, rye in the fall for pasture pur- 

 poses alone, a crop of grain, if secured at all, being secondary. Tem- 

 porary pastures are used for two purposes. (1) To extend the pas- 

 ture season over a greater portion of the year than can be done with 

 ordinary permanent pasture. For this purpose wheat or rye give early 

 and late pasture, and certain summer annuals can l)e used to supple- 

 ment the permanent pastures during the dry summer season, w^hich 

 usually occurs in July or August. (2) By successive sowing of the 

 proper plants succulent feed may be provided through the season so as to 

 yield a maximum crop from each area. This is particularly applicable 

 to dairy districts. It is often convenient and economical in growing 

 a succession of succulent crops to cut the green feed and supply the 

 stock either in the permanent pasture or in the stalls or yards, as will 

 be referred to under soiling. The proper rotation of such annual 

 pasture for Nebraska will be discussed in a separate paragraph. 



