19 



Big Sand-grass (Calamorilfa Jongifolia Scribn.) is not common iu cen- 

 tral Iowa, though rather common in nortliwestern and western 

 Iowa, where it abounds along- railroads, on dry sterile soil, and 

 steep hillsides. It often does good service in binding the loose soil 

 together. As a forage plant it is of little value, the culms and 

 leaves being very tough. In Nebraska it is common in the sand- 

 hill country and also in the sandy marshes of the Ilepublican Valley. 



Black G-rama {Boutelona 

 hirsKta Lag.) is common 

 in the sand-hill legion 

 of western Nebraska. It 

 forms dense tufts of line 

 leaves. It is nutritious, 

 like the other gramas, and 

 fills an Important place 

 on these poorer soils. 



Blue G-rama {Bouteloua 

 oligostachya Torr.) (tig. 3) 

 grows from 8 to 18 inches 

 high, varying somewhat 

 with seasons. It was 

 much taller on the aver- 

 age in 1896 than in 1895. 

 As a rule this grass sel- 

 dom exceeds a foot in 

 height. It is endowed 

 by nature with great 

 drought-resisting quali- 

 ties. Around Crete and 

 Lincoln, ISTebr., it is com- 

 mon on dry soil and on 

 gravelly knolls. At Hast- 

 ings, Xebr., it is a domi- 

 nant grass in meadows 

 and pastures. The same 

 may be said of it from 

 McCook to the west line of 

 Nebraska. As a pasture 



grass it is excellent, being nutritious and standing tramijling better 

 than Western Wheat-grass. A few years of selection under cultiva- 

 tion would no doubt produce a form equal to many of our cultivated 

 grasses. Stockmen inform me that cattle thrive on this grass all 

 winter in western Nebraska. In Colorado it is common in the foot- 

 hills, especially between 5,000 and 0,500 feet altitude. Some plants 

 were seen on an open prairie in northern Colorado at an altitude 

 of 7,000 feet. Near Golden it was likewise observed at an altitude 

 of 7,000 feet. It is common also at Colorado Springs, nortli of 



Fig. 3.— Blue Grama (Bouteloua oUgostachija) : a, empty 

 glumes of a spikelet ; 6, spikelet with the empty glumes 

 removed. 



