8 



auiiually produced. Tlie same may be said of the rich alhivial flood 

 phiiii of the Missouri. This phiiu varies from a few to 15 miles iu 

 width, the averaj^e being from 8 to 12. The hay crop constitutes one 

 of the chief sources of revenue for the farmers of this region, aud coukl 

 be made mucli more important if they wouhl foHow a more rational 

 system of cropping. 



The chief luiy phmts cultivated iu central Iowa are Timothy, Eedtop, 

 Blue-grass, and Red Clover. The principal plants used in pastures 

 are Blue-grass, White Clover, Kedtop, and Timothy. In the Boyer and 

 Maple valleys and on the Missouri bottoms the wild grasses predomi- 

 nate. To a limited extent, alfalfa meadows have been started iu 

 Carroll, Ida, and Woodbury counties. The loess hills, skirting the 

 Missouri bottoms, are mostly cultivated, though unbroken wild mead- 

 ows and pastures still remain. In the eastern portion of this district 

 considerable corn fodder is used as forage, the amount used depending 

 largely upon the condition of the pastures and meadows. 



Many other grasses have been tried with varying success. Orchard 

 grass, naturalized iu many places, is one of the most successful. Tall 

 Oat-grass gives some i)romise. Perennial Kye-grass is nearly worth- 

 less for this section of the State. Italian Ryegrass is unable to resist 

 the cold of our winters and is a complete failure. Meadow Foxtail 

 {Alopecuriis pratcnsis) does fairly well as an early grass when sown 

 the season before, but is hardly adapted to this section. The most 

 promising of the recently introduced grasses is Smooth or Hungarian 

 Brome. The Short-Awued Brome has also been tried and is very prom- 

 isiug. Rye and Barley are often used as forage plants. German millet 

 and Hungarian-grass find extended use some seasons. Broom Corn 

 Millet is frequently sown in northern and northwestern Iowa. 



But one legume is generally grown, aud that is Red Clover. Mam- 

 moth, or Medium, Clover is often sown, but is much less common than 

 the i)recediug. Alsike (Uover is becoming more common. Two sweet 

 clovers are not infrequent; the White Sweet Clover is more abundant 

 than the yellow. Crimson Clover has been tried repeatedly, but is not 

 adapted to Iowa conditions. It suffers much from drought in late 

 summer, and from insect and fungus enemies. 



Many native species of grasses occur, aud they vary in (juautity and 

 quality in different sections of the State. The dominant grasses of 

 central Iowa are Little Blue-Stem and Big Blue-Stem. Both of these 

 species are frequently called Blue- Joints. Several species of Elymus 

 are abundaut, as Wild Rye, on the prairies and meadows; Lyme-grass 

 on the flood plains of streams, and Dennett grass along the borders of 

 woods. Other common grasses are: Indian Beard-grass, or liushy 

 nine Stem, in ])rairies and open woods; Tall (Jrama-grass of the dry 

 ]»rairies and gravelly knolls; Nodding Fescue iu woods; Slender Fescue 

 iu dry .sterile soils; Short's Fescue in low prairies, a most valuable 

 species; Switch-grass in rather moist meadows; Satin grasses [Mnhlvn- 

 bagia racemoaa, M. iJIJJ'nsa, M. irilhlcuovU, aud M. mcxkana) in moist 



