9 



soil of open woodlands and meadows; Swamp Chess in open Avood- 

 lands; Fowl Meadow-grass in low grounds along streams; Wire grass 

 and Squirrel-tail-grass, an introduced S])ecies, in meadows and waste 

 places; Blue- Joint, Eeed Canary grass, (Jommon Keed-grass, and Float- 

 ing Manna-grass in marshy places and shallow water; Large Rush-grass 

 and Bunch-grass in drj^ prairies. In northwestern and western Iowa 

 the above as well as some additional species occur. Among the latter 

 are Western Wheat-grass, Bearded Wheat-grass, Blue Grama, Slough- 

 grass, and Big Sand-grass. 



The most widely-distributed of all the native leguminous plants is 

 Canadian Eattle-weed {Astragalus caitadensis), a thrifty, hardy, and 

 vigorous species found in woods, low meadows, and prairies. It is eaten 

 by stock, but becomes rather woody when old. Buffalo Pea, or Ground 

 Plum, is common on dry sterile hills throughout the region and affords 

 valuable forage. American vetch is one of the most valuable of the 

 native legumes. It grows in the moist soil of low prairies and open 

 woodlands. This vetch is well adapted to the conditions of western and 

 northwestern Iowa, and does well under cultivation. The prairie clovers 

 {Fetalostemoii violaceus Michx., and P. candidus Michx.) are common on 

 the prairies everywhere, as also on the loess soils of western Iowa. 

 These plants are seldom eaten by stock unless forage is scant. Dalea 

 alopecuroides W^illd. is common throughout the loess region and has been 

 introduced farther eastward. Wild vetch, well known as a valuable 

 forage plant of the Northwest, is indigenous to the loess, though not 

 abundant except locally. It has been introduced into Boone County. 

 Running Buffalo clover {Trifolium sfoloniferum Muhl.), a native, is con- 

 sidered a valuable forage ])lant by the farmers of western Iowa, and is 

 worthy of a trial under cultivation. Mention should also be made of a 

 Loco plant {Oxytrojns lamhertii Pursli.) native to this region. Though 

 often consumed by stock, no complaints have been made that it pro- 

 duces loco poisoning. Rattlebox {Grotalaria sagittaUs L.) occurs in the 

 more sandy bottoms of the Missouri River. Complaints have frequently 

 been made of the trouble it causes when fed to horses. The disease it 

 produces has been called " crotalism." 



OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF GROWING NATIVE FORAGE PLANTS. 



There are some serious obstacles in the way of maintaining the 

 native meadows and pastures of Iowa. These may be classed under 

 two heads— the overstocking of pastures and the growth of weeds. 

 Many farmers attempt to raise more stock than their pastures will 

 safely accommodate. The grasses can not endure the close grazing 

 and excessive trampling to which they are subjected, and conse/iuently 

 they die out. Snow in this section of the State is usually blown from 

 the open fields soon after falling, and hence can not be depended upon 

 to protect the grass roots in pastures that have been too closely grazed. 

 As a result of this, weedy annuals, like Southern Poverty-grass, Foxtail 

 aud Squirreltail spring up to take the place of the better perennial 



