27 



defined as 'without beginning and witliont end;' if this grass has any 

 beginning or any ending it is difficult to determine it." It grows in 

 low, moist places, especially where periodically ilooded. Owing to its 

 creeping habit, it is not easily cut and hence is not available for hay 

 purposes. One farmer gravely stated that stock Avould not eat it. Later 

 the writer visited his pasture where the knot grass grew luxuriantly. 

 The grass was abundant, and while there were many varieties of rich 

 grasses all around, his horses and cattle were hunting for and eating 

 every little sprig of it that they could find. This conclusively demon- 

 strated that knot grass is valuable and 

 worthy of consideration by stockmen. 

 The creeping stems often measure 20 

 to 30 feet or more. 



Wild Oats ( Uniola latifoUa) is an 

 ornamental as well as a very valuable 

 forage grass. It was seen only in one 

 place in Eastland County, where it had 

 made a luxuriant growth along the 

 banks of small streams. Under the 

 shade of the trees it stood from 30 to 

 48 inches high, and in Sei)tember it 

 was as green as a wheat field in spring, 

 with every stem loaded with seed. The 

 farmer at whose place it was found, in 

 order to prove that it possesses special 

 value, led a Jersey bull that he had 

 tethered on crab grass near by, and 

 turned him out where this wild oats 

 was growing. The bull ate it greedily. 

 Judging from appearances it ought to 

 be a very valuable hay grass. 



Prairie Sage Brush {Artemisia lu- 

 cloviciana) is a showy forage plant 

 which grows throughout this section. 

 It may not have any very decided value 

 for stock purposes, though stockmen 

 say that cattle eat it. A sheep raiser 

 says that sheei) are fond of it and fat- 

 ten on it. A Mitchell County farmer 

 says that it grows well in alkali soils where little else will thrive. It 

 is probable that it can be utilized with other plants for the purpose of 

 reclaiming such lauds. 



Butterfly Pea ( Clitorta mariana) was seen in several counties in this 

 section. It has a light purple blossom and forms a pod that fills with 

 peas nearly as large as the small garden pea. It grows upright and 

 stands erect. When cut and cured it makes a soft and rich hay that is 



Fig. 9. — Knot Grass. 



