12 



Bushy Blue-stem [Andropogon nutans)^ a very tall, caue-like grass, 

 growing principally iu rocky places, tliougli it is also on the open 

 prairies. It will produce good hay in large quantities. 



Side-oats G-rama {Bouteloua curtipendula)^ one of the best native 

 grasses in central Texas, is highly regarded by stockmen. It was 

 splendidly seeded in September when examined on the range. It 

 grows equally well on the uplands and lowlands, in fallow ground and in 

 the pastures. Cattle are very fond of it both before and after it ripens 

 seed. It produces a great many seeds that do not shatter out readily, 



and, as it grows from 18 inches 

 to 3 feet tall and makes a large 

 quantity of fodder, soft when 

 cured, it is an excellent hay 

 grass. It is common through- 

 out the prairie region and on 

 the plains extending eastward 

 to Pennsylvania. 



Black G-rama {Bouteloua 

 liirsuta). — Black grama is not 

 as common throughout central 

 Texas as stockmen would like 

 to have it. It is not a hay grass, 

 as it does not often grow tall 

 enough for the mower, but it is 

 certainly one of the best grasses 

 for grazing purposes. In ap- 

 pearance it closely resembles 

 the blue grama {Bouteloua oli- 

 gostachya), which is one of the 

 most common of the native 

 grasses of the "benches" of 

 Montana. vSeveral stockmen of 

 Mitchell and Taylor counties 

 state that this black grama is 

 "taking the prairie" rapidly, 

 more of it being seen in 1897 

 than in former years. 

 Blue Grama {Bouteloua oUgostachya) (fig. 2).— Very similar iu 

 most respects to the black grama, about the only difference noticeable 

 by the unscientific observer being the lighter color of its " seed heads." 

 It grows throughout all the cattle-raising States west of the Missis- 

 sippi and is very common in Montana and Colorado, where it is known 

 as Buffalo-grass. In central Texas it is regarded with nuich favor by 

 stockmen. As it grows well on the high arid plains and bench lands 

 and also on the lower and damper pasture lands, and is both a hay and 

 a j)a8ture grass, too high an estimate can not be put on it for stock pur- 

 poses. It is said that "it far exceeds, in general opinion, the true 



Fig. 1.— Feather Blue-stem. 



