INTENSIVE SYSTEM OF CROPPING 33 



of any forage is not in itself a safe guide as to its 

 value. For example, corn, at that stage of maturity 

 which would make it a useful crop for feeding green, 

 will contain about 25 per cent, of dry matter, where- 

 as certain millets, Kaffir corn, etc., belonging to the 

 same group of plants, will oftentimes contain as 

 little as 10 per cent. The same is true in the case 

 of the leguminous crops ; certain of these are much 

 more watery at the proper stage for feeding than 

 others. This point of variation of dry matter in the 

 different crops should be taken into consideration, 

 together with the other important one, namely, the 

 influence of the proportion of the different nutrients 

 in determining their value. For example, those 

 crops which belong to the cereal group corn, mil- 

 let, sorghum, etc. are carbonaceous in their char- 

 acter, and should be fed in connection with legu- 

 minous crops, which supply a larger amount of 

 protein. 



Season of the year in which the crop may be 

 grown and time required for it to mature. There 

 are certain winter annual plants, as rye, wheat and 

 crimson clover, which are very valuable in the for- 

 age rotation from the fact that they are available 

 in the early spring. Again, there are other crops 

 which grow best, and can only be grown, in early or 

 midsummer ; among these may be mentioned oats 

 and peas, cowpeas and soy beans. Then there are 

 others that are valuable for the reason that they will 

 make considerable growth after the weather be- 

 comes cool, as barley, corn and certain of the 

 grasses. 



