l8 MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF SHEEP 



named and in addition crimson clover, but the sand vetch 

 would grow rather than the common vetch grown in the 

 West. In the southern states, the list is a long one. It 

 includes winter rye, certain of the cereals, the sand or 

 hairy vetch, cowpeas, soy beans, velvet beans, corn and 

 the sorghums, rape, cabbage and kale. 



The succession in which these crops should be grown 

 will depend largely on natural adaptation. Certain of 

 them, as winter rye, the sand vetch and crimson clover, 

 grow best in the early spring. Others, as corn, the sor- 

 ghums, cowpeas, soy beans and velvet beans, grow best 

 in the summer ; and yet others, as rape, cabbage and kale, 

 are naturally at their best in the autumn. 



The following are prominent among the benefits that 

 follow such grazing : First, noxious weeds that infest the 

 soil are removed from it, in some instances entirely, and 

 in all instances the reduction is marked. The complete- 

 ness of the removal effected will depend on the class of 

 the weeds and the ways in which they propagate, on the 

 kind or kinds of the forage crops and on the manner of 

 growing them. 



This system of grazing will soon destroy all biennial 

 weeds, as weeds of this class will soon succumb to culti- 

 vation so intensive. It will also reduce the most trouble- 

 some perennials to such an extent in two or three seasons 

 that the labor of removing by hand any plants that may 

 grow later becomes easily practicable. This reduction is 

 effected through the germination of the weed seeds lying 

 in the soil. The frequent stirring given to the soil 

 hastens the germination and the weeds thus started are 

 cared for by the sheep. The eradication of perennials 

 may take longer, but in most instances the frequent 

 stirring of the soil, the cropping down of the young plants 

 and the smothering influence of the pasture crops will 

 bring about the desired results. 



Each kind of forage crop is more hurtful to the 

 growth of some weeds than to the growth of others. By 



