2 FORAGE CROPS 
crops of the different classes used to supply the 
roughage necessary in rations for farm animals, 
as well as to reduce the need for purchased feeds. 
In this book the term “forage crops” is used 
in the broadest sense. The common-language 
usage of forage (and which must prevail) would 
make the term a general one applying to all 
kinds of rough or coarse natural herbage food, such 
as animals might find freely provided by nature; 
as hay, pasture, herbage of maize, oats, cowpeas, 
vetch, sorghum. “Roughage” is practically synon- 
ymous, but is applied more particularly to the 
coarser kinds, that is, exclusive of hay and pas- 
ture. “Fodder” is the dried or cured herbage. 
“Soiling” is the feeding of animals on green herb- 
age that is cut and carried to them (as distin- 
guished from pasturing). 
THE MEASURES OF VALUE IN FORAGE CROPS 
The value of any forage crop is determined by 
a number of conditions, the first, and in the long 
run probably the most important, being the actual 
food, or the amount of dry matter, that may be 
secured from a given area and its usefulness as 
measured by the kind and proportion of the 
nutrients contained in it. A second considera- 
tion is its adaptability and usefulness for the 
various purposes, as, for example, for a soiling 
