ID'il.] Notes on Foka(;k Crops. 25 



dition to carry a crop of winter l)arley, even on soils too poor 

 to give a profitable crop under ordinary methods of cultivation. 



Beans. — The bean plant is quite good forage, and is readily 

 eaten by cattle, even the thick hard stems. Sheep do 

 not eat the bean plant if other fresh green food is available. 

 The bean has a special value in forage cropping, as it is the 

 only forage plant which can be trusted to remain erect under 

 all conditions, and which can be sown at any season of the 

 year. For cutting green, the common winter horse bean is 

 the most suitable. For spring sowing for seed production, 

 the Mazagan is the most satisfactory. As in the case of the 

 pea the roots of the bean pulverise the soil and leave it 

 enriched for the following crops. Tn making mixtures con- 

 taining beans it is necessary to sow at least one bushel per 

 acre to obtain the strength necessary to support a heavy crop 

 of trailing plants. 



