I 



are from the south. Many of the grass seeds, as they fall to the jiround, 

 except where the surface has been scarified or plowed, are blown by 

 the winds onto other lauds. In this way such seeds are often lost to 

 the grounds on which they are growu and matured. In order to save 

 these seeds to the pastures producing them, a part of one of the station 

 pastures was selected, and about every 12 feet furrows have been 

 plowed from east to west, the idea being, (I) that the seeds falling. to 

 the ground, if blown at all by the winds, will be caught in these 

 furrows and in that way saved to the pastures, (2) that the storm 

 waters falling on such pastures, instead of being allowed to waste by 

 running off into creeks and bottoms, will also be caught in the furrows. 

 This work was done in May, 1899. IJy June 30 the furrows had 

 caught a great many seeds, and, as the result of the surface irrigation 

 incident to the rain having been collected in them, the grass immedi- 

 ately proximate to such furrows was much greener and more vigorous 

 than that farther away. Indeed, in approaching the pasture wo treated 

 the furrows could easily be traced by the eye a half mile or more away 

 by their fresh, green appearance. 



TRANSPLANTING CrKASS ROOTS. 



Another experiment in the improvement of range conditions has 

 been the transidantiug of grass roots. There were considerable areas 

 ill the pastures of the station that were bare of all vegetation a year 

 ago, the result of overstocking, drought, insects, and prairie dogs. 

 Several native turf grasses were selected the past spring and the sods 

 were taken up and planted in a few of these naked spots, just before 

 rains. In every instance they have grown well and promise to cover 

 the naked spots in a short time. The following grasses were used in 

 this experiment : Curly mesquite {H liana cenchroides), needle grass 

 {Aristidafasciculata), cotton-top [Panicum lachnanthum), wild timothy 

 (Mtihlenheryia racemosa), Galleta or black grama {HiJaria mutica), h]ue 

 grama (liouteloua oligostachya), side-oats grama (Bouteloiia curtipen- 

 dula), Canada rye grass {Elynms canudensls)^ and everlasting grass 

 {Eriochloa ijunctata). All of these are natives of central Texas and 

 occur in nearly every county. There are many other native grasses 

 and forage plants here that may be used to good advantage in the 



same way. 



GARDEN WORK. 



In the 10 acres set apart for experiments with seed of grasses and 

 forage plants the tests made this year have not been altogether satisfac- 

 tory, chiefly owing to the dryness of the season, but results of practical 

 value have been secured. 



The soil is thin and dry, as a rule, and part of the ground is too 

 rocky for cultivation. Tlic bed of a small stream extends through the 

 east side of the garden and drains the moisture from the lower lands; 

 next to it is the dry soil, characteristic of the upland. The stream has 



