CROPS THAT MAY BE GROWN IN DRY AREAS 205 



same. They fill it with openings in the form of numer- 

 ous channels as their roots decay, and as rain falls in any 

 large quantity on the surface it sinks down in these open- 

 ings, adding to the store of moisture in the subsoil. (6) 

 It is at least equal, if not superior, in nutrition and pal- 

 atability to any other hay plant that can be grown in 

 the semi-arid country. All these conditions point to the 

 future supremacy of alfalfa as a hay crop and probably 

 to some extent as a pasture crop in these areas. 



Some of the cereals will be grown more or less for 

 hay. This means that they will be cut at some stage 

 short of maturity. While all the cereals suitable for 

 such a use will be grown more or less to provide such 

 hay, wheat, oats and barley will be more frequently de- 

 voted to such a use than the other cereals. If peas are 

 grown for hay, it will be in admixture with other grain. 

 Where alfalfa can be grown reasonably well, hay from 

 cereals is too costly a substitute. White hulless barley 

 ranks high in suitability for furnishing such hay. 



Roots and tubers that may be grown. These two 

 classes of roots will be considered separately, and also 

 certain hazards to be avoided in growing them. Both 

 classes call for cultivation while they are being grown, 

 hence under dry land conditions they are more safe than 

 some other lines of production. The term "roots" is here 

 used in the sense of field ro"ots grown for live stock. 

 These include turnips and rutabagas, mangels and sugar 

 beets, also carrots. The habits of growth in rutabagas 

 and turnips do not differ greatly. The distribution for 

 both, therefore, is about the same. Neither endures well 

 hot summer temperatures, hence it will be at once ap- 

 parent that the place for both is in northern areas of the 

 dry country, and on the elevated plateaus in other sec- 

 tions. Good crops of these may be grown at elevations 

 more than 5,000 feet above sea level. These plants, 

 therefore, will furnish food for live stock in areas that 



