27 



needle-grass {StijJO, comata) and western wheat-grass {Agropyron fipi- 

 cation ). On the divides are found big sand-grass {Calamovilfa loiuji- 

 folia) and blue grama {Bouteloiia oligostachya), while big cord grass 

 {Spartina cynosuroides) and salt-grass {Distichlis spicata) are the most 

 common on the low ground, is eedle- grass {Stipa comata) is a very 

 important grass m this region. Xorthwest" of New Castle, near the 

 junction of the Burlington and Missouri River llailroad and Skull 

 Creek, it is especially common. In this vicinity and extending south- 

 ward into the oil regions are large areas among the sage-brush where 

 no other grasses grow. 



As one approaches Inyan Kara Mountain the country assumes much 

 the appearance of that around Sundance, as would be expected. There 

 are more streams, and consequently more water available for irrigation. 

 The rainfall is also more abundant, and the soil has more sand and 

 humus in its make-up. The mountain and all the elevations in the 

 neighborhood are covered with pine, while groves of poplar, birch, and 

 oak are common. The creeks have a growth of cottonwood, box elder, 

 and green ash. Springs of pure soft water are common near the base 

 of the mountain. 



Near Inyan Kara we found a ranchman drilling with the expectation 

 of getting a tiow of water. He started in last year, when he struck 

 a stratum from which water raised within a few feet of the surface. 

 Be renewed his efibrts this year, hoping to get a sufficient flow to 

 irrigate from. The open range is closely pastured here also. Here 

 again it was learned that until about four years ago haj" could be cut 

 anywhere on the upland, but for the past few years the cattle have 

 become so numerous that they keep the grass eaten off so closely that 

 the effect is much the same as successive cutting year after year. Occa- 

 sionally a ranchman attributes the short crop of the past few years to 

 drought, but the majority of them agree that it is due to overstocking. 



We found more and better farming along Skull Creek than along the 

 Upper Belle Fourche. This is probably due largely to the better facili- 

 ties for irrigation. There are ranches at short distances along the 

 creek, and considerable hay was being put up. Alfalfa is their main 

 crop whenever they can get water onto the land. Timothy is raised to 

 some extent, and rye and oats are common hay crops. Xo running 

 water was found until the party got down near the Burlington and 

 Missouri River Railroad. There is as good an illustration of the effect 

 of water on the growth of vegetation here as one could wish to see. 

 On the one hand there is a perfect wilderness of sage-brush {Artemisia 

 longifolia and A. tridentata) as far as the eye can reach, with the usual 

 light growth of grass, forming no sod to speak of; on the other, native 

 grasses, alfalfa, oats, and garden truck make a fine growth with arti- 

 ficial watering. 



