FORAGE AND SOILING CROPS 97 



rapidly. It is like timptliy in the fact that its cutting stage 

 extends over a wide period of time without seriously injuring 

 the quality of the hay. The yield, however, usually is not high. 



Secondary grasses. — A number of other grasses are some- 

 times grown in various parts of the United States. Among 

 these may be mentioned: (1) Tall meadow oat-grass, Avhich 

 has many of the adaptations and characteristics of orchard 

 grass and may be sown with it; (2) meadow fescue which has 

 many of the adaj^tations and some of the characteristics of 

 timothy. It yields much less and is not so desirable and is 

 therefore little grown. (3) Tall fescues, and other fescues. 

 These grasses have about the same characteristics as (2) and 

 no one is grown extensively in the United States. (4, 5) Italian 

 rye grass and English or perennial rye grass. These grasses 

 are used principally as annual hay crops, for laAvn mixtures 

 and for winter pastures in the South. (6) Slender wheat grass. 

 This is a native grass of theNorthwest and is especially adapted 

 to the semi-arid condition of that region. It is also used some- 

 times in grass mixtures in other parts of the country. (7) West- 

 ern wheat grass is another native grass of the West. It is char- 

 acterized by being more alkali resistant than other cultivated 

 grasses. 



Millets. — The term ''millets'^ is applied to a number of 

 related plants that are used for forage in this country, and in 

 the old world principally for human food. They are annuals, 

 and their principal use in the timothy and clover region is as 

 a catch crop after some early crop has failed. AVlien cut in the 

 blossoming stage a fair yield of good hay may be expected. In 

 the west, from Kansas northward, they are much more gen- 

 erally grow^n. 



Sorghums. — The term '' sorghum" covers a wide range of 

 related plants, among which are a number of varieties that are 

 valuable for forage and for grain. Others are used for syrup 

 production, while still others are used for broom-making. 



In the southwest, from Kansas southward, the sorghums are 

 conmionly grown, constituting the principal grain and forage 

 crop of that region. The varieties used for syrup production 

 and broom-making are grown quite extensively in the eastern 

 half of the United States. 



Soudan grass.— This is a tall grass-like plant, growing five 

 or six feet tall under cultural conditions. It matures early 

 enough to be groA\m in the north, and produces a good quality 

 of hay. Like the millets, it can be used as a catch crop, but it 



