170 



ELEMENTS OF AGBICULTUKE 



crop may be used; annuals or biennials serve the pur- 

 pose as well as perennials. 



The growing of pasture crops is the least exhausting 

 method of cultivating soils. In the first place, all the 

 manure from the grazing animals goes directly back 

 to the soil. In the second place, the soil is well pro- 

 tected from washing, leaching, and surface evaporation. 

 The only plant food lost to the soil is that which goes 

 to build up the bodies of the pastured animals. There 

 are fields known to have been used continuously for 

 pasture for one hundred years or more that are to-day 

 as good as ever. • 



Pastures should never be allowed to grow up in weeds. 

 The weeds should be kept down by cutting before they 

 ripen seed; or, if they become too numerous, the field 

 should be plowed and planted for a time in some culti- 

 vated crop such as corn or tobacco. 



Questions 



1. Into what three classes can dry fodders be divided? 

 2. What is corn stover? 3. What is pulled fodder? 4. What 

 is corn fodder? 5. What is the difference between corn 

 stover and corn fodder? 6. What is straw? 7. For what 

 is straw useful? 8. What is hay? 9. How does hay differ 

 from the original green forage? 10. What per cent of 

 moisture does average hay contain? 11. Name the two 

 classes into which hays are divided. 12. Name a few of the 

 best grasses for hay. 13. For how many years do most of 

 the grasses used for hay live? 14. What leguminous crops 

 are grown for hay? 15. How do the roots of legumes differ 

 from those of the cereals and grasses? 16. Why are they 

 better able to stand dry weather than the grasses? 

 17. Why is the cowpea a good crop for poor soils? 18. What 



