27 



In eastern Xebr:\^ka TJhie-gra^ is a siieees*, thriving |>est on low 

 ofi\)uuds along rivei-s. bnt also giving gxxxl returns on the drier 

 nphinds. The season of ISOo was unfavorable for it in oeutn^l 

 Nebraska, bnt in lSiH> the pastures were in excellent condition. The 

 species was observeil at Hastings and McCo^^k. In the latter place 

 it oocuri-eil in the streets and also in the tloo*l i>lain of the Kepnb- 

 lican Eiver. One of the liuest Blue-grass lawns I have ever seen 

 was noticed in Oxfonl. This was, ot' course, under irrig^ttion. In 

 the mountains of Colorado it forms an excellent turf. The meadows 

 Avere as meen as anv in Iowa in Mav. 



Large Rush-grass SiH)roboin.^ hookeri Triu. . which is found on jHxn\^r 

 soil than Bunch grass, forms a dense turf. The leaves and stems 

 are tough and wiry, detracting fixnu its value as a forag^e plant. 

 SporoboJus erffptamirHS Gray is an earlier grass, likewise somewhat 

 tough when old. not so coiumou as Bunch-gri»ss or largv Rush- 

 gmss. SporobiitHS bttrifoUH^ is one of the commonest grasses of 

 the U>ess of western Iowa. It forms a dense mat ot' interlacing 

 roots and i\xn stocks, et^W>tnally preventing the washing of the soils. 

 It also occurs near Cavvoll. Iowa. The species is ot" little value as 

 a forage plant. Auotiicr s^xx-ics of this genus is common thnnigh- 

 ont this section of Iowa — Southern Poverty-gn^ss ( <jt. ra(fiHiriiorHS\. 

 It txxnirs m ticlds and along rvx\dsides, and is usually avoided In- 

 stock. Unring the dry seast^ns of 1S04 and Iv^V* farmers com- 

 plaineil ot" its presence in pastures. 



Little Blue-Stem yAndt-opoflon gittpariHs Aliciix. is coumuni tu central 

 and western Iowa. It gwws on the iHxnvr s;\ndy soils, although 

 in western Iowa it occurs abundantly on the Ux^ss blulis, «.\nisli- 

 tuting a large shaiv of the natural forage. It" has the habit of 

 t'orining bunches, and gixnvs fixun 2 to .'i t\H»t high, with a larg\> 

 number of rix>t and stem leaves. It seeds more fi-eely than Big 

 Blue-Stem. Sttxk will eat the grass when it is young and ti-esh, 

 but when old it becomes wtnxly and unpalatable. It isciunmon on 

 the loess of eastern Nebraska about i>maha, and was alsi> obscrvcil 

 about l.Nicoln and Crete. 



Loco "Weed ^O.i\vtropis Jambt^fii) is of no value as a foragt^ plant. 

 Although the plant was common everywhere in Nebraska, 1 heaixl 

 no complaints about it. In Colonuio it is the most ivuspicnous 

 and comnnni o( the Li^ijHmiHO^ir, but ii is seldom eaten by sttxk. 



Lupinus plattensis Watson occurs *u sandy bottoms along the Ke- 

 publicau Kiver in Nebraska, h showtnl evidence ot* having been 

 eaten by stock. 



Manna grasses [PanieHlaria s^xH^ies). Several speines ixvur in Iowa. 

 l\ iitrratu and l\ aqHtitica are most ei>uunon. These siXH'ies ait? 

 of value only in wet meadows and pastuivs. 



Meadow grasses \,l'oii species) are common thivughoni the moun- 

 tains of Coloradin At higher altitutles and lower down in moist 



