ECONOMIC PLANTS 



225 



maintained in any other way, which means that with- 

 out it land cannot be kept for a considerable term of 

 years in a proper mechanical condition. Without the 

 grass crop weeds cannot be so readily kept at bay. 

 In its absence some soils blow and others are carried 

 away by the action of water, which may fall in the 

 form of rain or snow. In its absence live stock cannot 

 be maintained on the farm without undue expense, and 

 consequently mixed farming will be impossible. With- 

 out a grass crop true rotation is not possible without 

 great expense, for one cereal following another does not 

 rest or restore the land, unless the cereal is a legumi- 

 nous plant. Beyond all question grass is king among 

 the crops of the 

 farm in the United 

 States and so it will 

 continue to be." 



Hay and Pasture 

 Crops. Members 

 of two great fam- 

 ilies of plants are 

 grown for hay and 

 pasturage, the 

 grasses and the 

 legumes. Of the 

 grasses timothy is 

 the most valuable 

 and the most widely 

 cultivated for hay. 

 Two other hay 

 grasses well known 

 in the Dakotas 

 and Canada 



are 



M. & H. AG. IS 



FIG. 114. Timothy. 



