229 



It would socin to bo :i loj^ical conclusion front llie above facts tliat 

 any species introduced into cultivation for use as forajj;e plants, in 

 these desert rej^'ions, ought to possess these same characters protecting; 

 them against too rapid transpiration if tliere is to be any hope at all 

 of success witliout irri^yation. Sucli glasses as Uniola JatifoJa Mx., 

 or the cut-grass, ]jcei\n<i. oryzoiden Swartz, for instance, would make 

 utter failures. h\)rtunately the plants proper for such regions can 

 usnally be found among tlie natixc species, but if they must be intro- 

 duced from abroa<l they sliould certainly be selected from jdaces similar 

 in soil and climate. 



While the buftalo and giania grasses will probably continue to be, 

 for general ])urposes, the mainstay of the Western ranchman, at least 

 for many years to come, still it seems i)roper to note here a few otlier 

 species that might be introduced into cultivaticni with success by the 

 farmer, especially in the lower lands and river valh;ys, and that ought 

 to receive a. thorough test by our Western experinu^nt stations. The 

 United States grass station at Garden City, Kans., has ])robably 

 already made a trial of some of these species that I shall mention, but 

 1 think not all of them. 



Colorado hluc-joint {Af/ropip-iini {/hiuctim B>. and S.). — This is a very 

 common species in southern Colorado and in jSTeutral Strip and extreme 

 western Kansas. It makes excellent hay, and is one of the most valued 

 grasses in the (Jiniarron canons. Uow far it has been tested in culti- 

 vation 1 do not know, although 1 was intbrmed that a ram-hman of 

 southern Colorado had ])roduce<l a very good meadow from the seed 

 obtained from a snuill i>lat raised the year before. 



Broom ffrass [Andropogon saccharoides Swartz, and varieties). — A 

 ranchman at (Jarrett, Okla., calls this and the following species 

 the best grasses they have in the (Jimiirron cahons, and others have 

 made similar statements. It is widely dilK'used all ovt^r the Southwest, 

 from Wichita^ and Guthrie westward, but not very abundant, although 

 increasing in abundance westward. 



Panic (p-a.s.s [Vanieum obtusnm HUK.). — Sofar as I know, this grass 

 has never yet even been mentioned as one worthy of cultivation; but, 

 as far as its being relislied by stock is concerned, experience points it 

 out as an excellent grass, both for hay and grazing. Its actual nutri- 

 tive value, of course, would have to be determined by chemical analy- 

 sis. It aftbrds a fair supidy of foliage, large spikelets which ought to 

 furnish good seed, matures rather eaily, an<l seems well adapted to the 

 river valleys of the Plains. It ranges from Kingllsher westward, be- 

 coming rather common in the ISTeutral Strip. 



llaWs broom grass {Andropogon llaJlii Hack., and varieties). — This 

 is quite stemmy, but furnishes good grazing and, if cut young, pro- 

 du(!es a good quality of hay. It is much like the common blue-stem 

 [Andropogon provinviaits Lam.), and is quite frequent in canons as 

 well as on uplands. 



