LESSON XVIII 

 FORAGE CROPS 



Three kinds of crops. - - The crops used as food for 

 animals are classed into (i) grain crops, (2) forage 

 crops, and (3) root crops. By some people the root 

 crops are called forage. 



Forage includes hay, pasture grass, silage, and fodder. 

 In addition to these common kinds of forage, many 

 other plants serve as forage crops. The forage plants 

 of greatest importance are those used for hay, - 

 timothy, clover, alfalfa, and millet. In the United 

 States the two most important hay crops are timothy 

 and clover. Sometimes the plants which are usually 

 grown for grain are cut while green, and are harvested 

 and fed like hay. 



Silage. If forage plants are placed while green in 

 nearly air-tight pits or vats, they will keep fresh for a 

 long time and can be fed as green forage to the farm 

 animals. Forage thus kept is called silage, and the 

 buildings in which it is stored are called silos. Corn 

 is the chief silage crop, but clover, sorghum, millet, 

 peas, and beans are sometimes used for silage. At 

 beet-sugar factories, the beet pulp from which the 

 sugar has been extracted is stored in silos and fed to 



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