33 



meadows, where it afltbrds considerable forage, and seems worthy of 

 a trial under cultivation. In Colorado the variety purgans is one 

 of the most common of this genus at an altitude 6,000 to 7,000 feet 

 about Golden. It is especially common in pine and spruce woods. 

 It grows as vigorously at this altitude as in Iowa. 



Switch-grass [Panicum rirf/atuni L.) is common and productive every- 

 where in central and western Iowa. It grows abundantly in native 

 prairie sod and along- railroads. It is by no means confined to the 

 bottom land or the richer prairie soil, being- frequently found on 

 sandy or gravelly drift, but it aftbrds more and better forage on the 

 richer soil. It is used for both hay and pasturage, but is of much 

 less value as a pasture grass than for hay. It has been tried in a 

 small way under cultivation in central Iowa, with promising results. 

 The trials have not been extended enough, however, to recommend 

 it for general culture. In eastern Nebraska it is abundant on the 

 prairies, river bottoms, and open wooded slopes, and it was observed 

 as far west as McCook, where the common form had a bluish color. 



Tall Oat-grass {Arrkenatherum elatius Beauv.) has been tried in Iowa, 

 and although it stands drought and cold well and makes a good 

 growth, it has not come into general cultivation. 



Texas Crab-grass {Svhedonnardm panieulatns Trelease) is a common 

 species in western Nebraska, and also occurs near Lincoln and 

 Crete. About Hastings, Oxford, and McCook it is abundant on 

 the high prairies. It is also abundant in the sandy flood plains 

 of the Eepublican Valley. Cattle apparently seldom eat it, except 

 when the grass is young and tender. 



Timothy (I'hleum pratense L.) is the best known of our hay grasses. 

 It is used but little as a pasture grass. The bulbous tliickening 

 of the rootstock is apt to be pulled out by cattle or injured by 

 tramping. Farmers generally use it as a meadow grass, sowing 

 it in early spring either with or without a nurse crop or with Red 

 Clover. In the latter case the clover predominates the first season, 

 but in the second and third seasons the timothy is more abundant 

 and less rank than when grown by itself. Hay consisting of this 

 mixture is excellent and is generally preferred to any other. 

 Timothy is well adapted to eastern Nebraska, wliere it succeeds 

 better on low grounds than on the higher prairies. I saw very fine 

 fields in 1806. Timothy is one of the best known of the cultivated 

 grasses of eastern Nebraska, and is fully as much at home here 

 as in western Iowa. In Colorado it is frequent as an introduced 

 grass in moist gulches and canyons at an elevation of from 5,000 

 to 7,000 feet. It also grows at a higher altitude, though not so 

 common there. Mountain timothy {Phleiini alpinum) grows in 

 moist woods and marshes at higher elevations in northern Col- 

 orado, from 8,000 to 10,000 feet. Where cattle grazed this grass 

 was closely cropped, and was of considerable value as a forage plant. 

 3828— No. 9 3 



