FARM CROPS 29 



Weeds must be kept down by horse and hand 

 hoeing between the rows, and any plants pulled 

 up must be replaced from the seed-bed ; those 

 pulled up should not be put back again, as they 

 have probably been vitally hurt. 



Forage Crops. — Less cultivation is 

 required for these than for either corn or root 

 crops. In fact, when sown amongst corn, as is 

 most frequently the case, especially with clover 

 and grass seeds, no cultivation at all is in- 

 volved. Lucerne and sainfoin are two forage 

 crops grown extensively in the south on chalky 

 soils to provide food for sheep, and the 

 crop usually remains down for five to seven 

 years. Their manurial requirements are phos- 

 phatic and potassic, and of course lime must be 

 present. When sowing lucerne about 20 lbs. per 

 acre is sown, and the annual yield is about 20 

 tons of green fodder or 5 tons of hay. Sainfoin 

 is sown at the rate of 56 lbs. of milled seed or 

 4 bushels of unmilled seed (seed in the husks), and 

 yields i^ to 2 tons of hay per annum. Vetches 

 are a crop usually sown in small areas in winter 

 or spring to provide green forage for all kinds 

 of stock in spring and autumn respectively, and 

 are a very useful crop to have on a farm. 



