39 



confined to the valleys of the larger streams, the prairies and hilly 

 conutry being given over to grazing. Occasionally a rich plateau or 

 <' bench'' may be found with a sufficient sujiply of moisture to produce 

 a growth of grass luxuriant enough for hay, but these are rare. The 

 grasses of most importance in the meadows in the lower valleys are 

 wheat-grasses {Agropyron spp.), meadow-grasses {Poa spj).), manna- 

 grasses {I'anieularia spp.), 

 sand-grasses or blue-joints 

 {Calamagrostis spp.), and 

 wild rye- grasses {Elymus 

 spp.). 



Of these the wheat- grasses 

 are by far the most valuable. 

 A great many species occur 

 in this region, but there are 

 three which are of special 

 importance as hay-producing 

 grasses. These are Western 

 wheat-grass {A[/ropyron spi- 

 catum), known also as Col- 

 orado blue-stem, slender 

 wheat- grass {Agropyron tene- 

 rum) (see fig. 8), and false 

 quack-grass {Agropyron 

 pseudorejien.s). These grasses 

 are very generally distrib- 

 uted over the region, and 

 grow naturally on a great 

 variety of soils. All respond 

 readily to cultivation. Usu- 

 ally all that is necessary to 

 convert a piece of good sage- 

 brush or valley land into a 

 wheat grass meadow is to 

 clear off the brush and large 

 stones, keep off the stock, 

 and water the land. The 

 grasses will soon take complete possession. On nearly every well- 

 kept ranch in the eastern Rocky Mountain region can be seen fine 

 natural meadows made in this manner. Western wheat-grass is usu- 

 ally more abundant than either of the other sorts, and it is not an 

 uncommon thing to see a meadow of 40, 80, or more acres composed 

 almost exclusively of this grass. Without irrigation it is rarely possi- 

 ble to cut more than one crop in two years, as the grass requires time 

 to recuperate. Even with irrigation it is seldom possible to obtain good 

 crops for many consecutive years without cutting up the sod to over- 

 come its "hidebound" condition and give opportunity for the growth 



Fig. 8.— Slender wheat-grass (Aijropyron tenerum). 



