FOOD FROM CEREALS AND OTHER SEEDS 249 



for the common vetch is found west of the Cascade mun- 

 tains and northward from California to -Alaska, in areas 

 with cool summer temperatures, especially northward from 

 the Great lakes, and in the maritime provinces of Canada 

 and some portions of the New England states. The sand 

 vetch is more commonly grown on light soils south of say 

 40 degrees. 



Vetches are chiefly grown to produce pasture, soiling 

 food or hay, but in some instances the grain is the chief con- 

 sideration. In such instances they are chiefly harvested by 

 sheep or swine where they grew, but more especially by the 

 former, as then much of the vine is consumed as well as the 

 grain. When sown for such harvesting by sheep, enough 

 oats should be sown with them to sustain the crop. Such 

 grazing is only adapted to conditions where dry weather 

 prevails during the harvest season, as for instance, where 

 irrigation is practised. The seed separate from the grain 

 has usually too high a market value for being fed in that 

 form. The grain has much the same feeding value as peas 

 (see p. 236), and may be fed in much the same way. It is 

 particularly valuable as a concentrate for young stock, ow- 

 ing to its high protein content. 



Flax. In limited quantities, flax may be grown with a 

 reasonable measure of success in almost every state in the 

 Union, but in the northwestern states and provinces of Can- 

 ada the relative adaptation is higher for it than elsewhere, 

 and in these areas the greater portion of the American crop 

 is grown. Because of the abundance of the oil which it pro- 

 duces, and the high commercial value of the same, flax is 

 more commonly fed as cake or meal after the oil has been 

 extracted, and for the further reason that the high content 

 of the oil makes it too rich a food for prolonged feeding in 

 large quantities. Nevertheless, there are conditions in 

 which the grain may be fed with advantage and profit, in 

 limited quantities, whether fed directly or indirectly, as by 

 grinding it with other foods. 



