LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 121 



or early winter months that would be proper in each 

 locality cannot be stated here. 



Observations. — i. But few plants grown have 

 iDeen found more suitable than the common vetch in 

 providing soiling food. It would seem to be equally 

 adapted to horses, cows, sheep and swine. 



2. The hay of the common vetch is at least as 

 nutritious as clover and it is relished even more, but 

 it is easily injured by rain while being cured. 



3. The seed is not commonly fed to live stock, 

 but it furnishes an excellent food for them. The 

 seed crop is more precarious to grow than that of 

 many other farm crops. 



4. It is very probable that the common vetch 

 can be utilized with much advantage in growing pas- 

 ture for swine in conjunction with clover, but this 

 does not seem to have been proved by actual test in 

 the United States. The seed of both should be 

 sown early, and it will probably be found necessary 

 to pasture the vetches so closely that they will not 

 at any time get beyond the hight of six inches. 



THE SAND VETCH. 



The sand vetch (Vicia villosa) has but recently 

 come into prominence in the United States. As yet 

 it has been tested in only a few localities, and in a 

 majority of instances only in an imperfect way. 

 Much caution, therefore, should be observed in dis- 

 cussing its merits, and also the various methods of 

 growing it, until these become better understood. In 

 both respects the author has but little to fall back 

 upon save his own limited experience. 



The plants are naturally creeping in their habit 



