43 



of hay, which is usually of an excellent quality. One of the most 

 widely distributed species is the common blue joint {Calamagrostis 

 canadensis), locally known as false or native redtop. This grass is 

 often very abundant in moist, sandy river bottoms, and some of its 

 many forms ascend well uj) into the mountains. It has been cultivated 

 with good success and is worthy of extended trial in the Northwest. 



Sand-grass or yellow-top [Calamagrostis americana) is also well dis- 

 tributed throughout this region. 

 It is most commonly found along 

 the sandy banks of streams, 

 ponds, and lakes, often (espe- 

 cially along sloughs) forming a 

 well-defined "yellow-top" zone 

 of vegetation, noticeable from a 

 considerable distance because of 

 the characteristic color of the 

 grass. It seems to thrive better 

 in alkali soils than its relatives, 

 and is generally confined to com- 

 paratively low altitudes. 



Big sand-grass {Calamovilfa 

 loufjifolia), altliough common on 

 the plains and in the valleys 

 throughout, is not so valuable 

 as the preceding species because 

 of the very coarse and fibrous 

 nature of the forage which it 

 produces. It is most commonly 

 found in dry, sandy swales and 

 on sandy hillsides, and in the 

 bad lands and other dry dis- 

 tricts, where the better grasses 

 are scarce, it is often plentiful. 

 In such localities it is regarded 

 as a valuable grass, and is used 

 for hay. 



There are several of the wild 

 rye-grasses that occur in suffi- 

 cient quantities to be of importance in the vegetation of the native mead- 

 ows. All are most abundant as a rule in rich, open, rather dry meadows 

 and on hillsides, and are rather coarse, harsh plants, affording ctmsider- 

 able hay of an average quality. The kinds of most importance are 

 common wild-rye {Elymus canadensis), Macoun's rye-grass [U. macounii), 

 and giant rye-grass (jE. condensatus). The first of these is the most gen- 

 erally distributed, and is probably the most valuable, although the 

 second, which is also quite common, is a finer grass and produces a 

 better <iuality of hay. 



Fig. 12.— Nevada blue grass {Poa nevadensis). 



