24 



Here was found a most luxuriant growth of both native and culti- 

 vated vegetation. As flue fields of wheat were found here as in the 

 great small-grain belt in the eastern part of the State, while the hay 

 croj) was something wonderfal. The uuirrigated lands, however, pre- 

 sented an appearance not unlike the drier portions of the open range 

 farther east. 



The principal hay crop is alfalfa, of which, they obtain about 4 tons 

 per acre from three cuttings, which is the usual method of handling. 

 The farmers were experimenting with a fourth cutting this year, and 

 were considerably encouraged over the prospect at the time the region 

 was visited. This crop is prized very highly because of the fact that 

 they are able to get such a yield per acre. Many other hay crops are 

 grown very successfully, but none yields such a quantity of feed as 

 this one. 



Kedtop makes the finest growth here of any place visited on the trip. 

 On the Seth Bullock ranch there is a large meadow which w;is sown to 

 redtop and timothy eight or ten years ago. The timothy is now nearly 

 all run out, while the redtop this year is a fine stand about two feet 

 high. 



Besides the above may be mentioned timothy, white sweet clover 

 {Melilotus alha), millet, and June clover, all of Avhich make good 

 growths. White sweet clover {Melilotus alba) is so persistent in its 

 habits that it assumes much of the characteristics of a weed along the 

 ditches and among otlier jierennial forage crops. It makes an immense 

 growth wherever it gets started on irrigated land. At Belle Fourche 

 was seen near a spring about an acre that stood about 9 feet high. 



Native grasses are also irrigated with good success. When, however, 

 a piece of ground is irrigated year after year, that invaluable species, 

 Aiiropyron spicatum, runs the other grasses out. Several instances of 

 this were seen and attention was called to it, not only in the vicinity 

 of Belle Fourche, but farther west, in Wyoming, as well. The most 

 striking example was near Snoma, S. Dak., where there was a meadow 

 of 30 or 40 acres of this grass, with a crop of about 2 tons to the acre. 

 About one-fourth of it was headed out. It was raining at the time of 

 the visit and the grass, therefore, looked fresh and thrifty. Such a 

 large field of this glaucous leafed grass made a very pretty sight. It 

 was ascertained that this meadow had l>een irrigated and cut lor five 

 consecutive years with a good crop of hay upon it each year. Such a 

 condition is really extraordinary, for ranchmen on the range and even 

 the farmers in the eastern part of the State are seldom able to cut 

 crops of this on the same ground for more than two years in succession. 

 Even when pastured closely year after year the quantity of feed becomes 

 very small. P>ut this is sim[)ly one more evidence of Avhat a ])roper 

 amount of water will accom])lish when applied to this soil. 



llarnyard-grass (Panicum cnis-galli) makes a fine growth along the 

 ditches and roadsides where the sod has been ])artially subdued. It 



