118 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



VI. 



GRASSES AND CLOVER. 



TO get a true idea of the value of the grass crop of the 

 country requires some thought and study. When by study 

 and comparison we see the many products of the farm 

 which come directly or indirectly from this crop, we shall realize 

 that in it is the farmer's wealth. Not only does the bulk of his 

 income often come from the grass crop, but it comes with less 

 labor and loss of fertility than from any other. A few statistics 

 will prove this. 



The last compendium of the census puts the hay crop of the 

 United States in round numbers at 35,000,000 tons, and this at 

 $10 per ton is worth $350,000,000. The butter product is 

 placed at 806,672,071 pounds, worth at 20 cents a pound, 

 $161,334,414. Of cheese we produce 243,157,850 pounds, 

 worth, at 10 cents a pound, $24,315,785. Of wool 155,000,000 

 pounds, worth at 25 cents a pound, $38,750,000. These three 

 items, butter, cheese, and wool, may be said to be almost en- 

 tirely the product of grass. The entire valuation of the live 

 stock of the United States is $1,500,000,000, and it would be a 

 very moderate estimate to allow that one-half of this is due to 

 the grass crop, for nearly two-thirds of the value of all our live 

 stock is cattle and sheep, and much more than half of their 

 value comes from grass. 



It is a little difficult to know what part of this stock is 

 disposed of each year, but I should think it a fair estimate to 

 add $200,000,000 to the income from grass for this item, and this 

 added to the value of the hay, butter, cheese, and wool, gives an 

 aggregate value to the annual grass products of the farms of the 

 country of about $774,400,199. The annual wheat crop is 



