6' farm' grasses op thk united states 



tural wealth of the country is mostly concentrated. In 

 them, from lo to 25 per cent, of the improved land is 

 devoted to hay and forage crops. The last group con- 

 sists of the Rocky Mountain States and New York 

 and New England. In these States the grass area ex- 

 ceeds 25 per cent, of the total. The large amount of 

 hay grown in these two groups of States is due to 

 special conditions. In the Mountain States the chief 

 industry is stock-raising on the ranges, and the hay is 

 grown for winter feed. The proportion of grass to 

 other crops is indeed larger here than is called for in 

 properly diversified agriculture, and there is much talk 

 of the need of grains for finishing off cattle. In New 

 York and New England much hay is grown for market. 

 Dairying is also an important industry. Unlike Iowa, 

 Wisconsin, and other great dairy States in the Central 

 West, where concentrated dairy feeds are largely pro- 

 duced on the farm. New England finds it more advan- 

 tageous to devote her lands to grass, and to buy grain 

 and mill products for her cattle. 



The data concerning the hay and forage crops of 

 the country are given in Vol. VI., Census of 1900, 

 under the following headings : ' ' Wild, Salt, and. Prai- 

 rie Grasses," " Millet and Hungarian Grasses," "Al- 

 falfa or I^ucern, " " Clover, " " Other Tame Grasses, ' ' 

 " Grains Cut Green for Hay," and " Forage Crops." 

 The distribution of each of these crops will be dis- 

 cussed later. The data for clover relate to clover sown 

 alone, and include all the varieties. When sown with 

 timothy or other true grasses, clover is included under 

 ' ' other tame grasses. ' ' Grains cut green for hay here 

 includes peas as well, since, in the North, peas are 



