FODDER CROPS AND PASTURES 167 



known as lucerne. There are still other kinds of 

 legumes used for hay, but the two first mentioned, the 

 : and cowpee, are more generally used in this 

 country than any other. 



The leguminous crops used for hay grow in almost 

 all soils and in many climates. Some, however, do best 

 in one kind of soil ami climate, while other varieties 

 u tv different conditions. " Clover does not do 

 well in hot climates, nor does it produce profitable 

 crops from poor sandy soils; this crop prefers a good 

 strong soil well supplied with moisture, lime, and pot- 

 ash. The cow pea, on the other hand, does not mature 

 in cold climates, and flourishes best under the hot 

 southern sun. It will make a good crop on soils too 

 poor to produce clover. Light sandy loams, if well 

 supplied with moisture and mineral plant food, will 

 produce large crops of cowpeas. 



All the crops belonging to the pea family have, as 

 you no doubt remember, the power of using the nitro- 

 gen of the air for food. They can therefore grow 

 well in soils containing little nitrogen. 



These crops are provided with very deep-growing 

 roots which spread to a considerable depth through 

 the subsoil, from which they draw much plant food. 

 The legumes have the power of extracting more food 

 from the soil than either the cereal crops or grasses, 

 and their deep-growing roots enable them better t«> 

 withstand drought. These crops improve the condition 

 of the soil by adding to its store of plant food, and 

 also make a very valuable hay which is much used as 

 cattle food. The cowpea has been called the "poor 



