INTRODUCTORY VIEW 



11 



crops may be cut and dried before feeding, as is the case 



with hay or stover, or they may be fed green, either by 



allowing the animals to graze upon them, or by cutting 



and feeding them directly from the field. The straw 



of the grain crops is frequently used for forage. Forage 



crops, however, usually mean the crops in which the 



entire above-ground 



part of the plant is 



used. Almost all of 



the important forage 



crops are included 



in the membership of 



two botanical families, I HAY 



namely, the Gramin- 



eae and Legumin- 



osse, or as the two 



groups are commonly 



called, the " grasses " 



and " legumes." The 



forage Crops rank next FlG - 2. Six leading crops of the United 

 . . , States. 



to the grains in value 



and acreage, and if native pasture is included, the 



acreage is greater than that of the grain crops. 



15. The fiber crops. Fiber crops are those crops 

 grown for their fiber, which is used in the making of 

 textiles, ropes, twine, and the like. Cotton is by far 

 the most important of this group of plants, and its great 

 acreage and value give to the fiber crops the third rank 

 in this respect. 



16. The root and related crops. Root crops are 

 those crops grown for their enlarged tap roots. Several 

 other crops with thickened leaves and stems which re- 

 semble the true root crops in their composition and 



