58 



for forag^e, and the other in moist, more or less alkaline bottom land, 

 tall and slender and producing a greater amount of forage. 



Another grass abundant throughout this region in strongly alkaline 

 soils, but of little value except in times of scarcity of forage, is the 

 common salt- or alkali-grass (7)i.s/(W<7/s.s;2?w'a<rt). (See fig. 22.) Although 

 often i>roducing a great deal of leafage, it is harsh and unjialatable and 

 is refused by stock as long as other grasses are to be obtained. Sheep 



eat it more readily than other 

 stock. It is abundant in the 

 bad- land regions, and, as better 

 grasses are usually scarce there, 

 it is sometimes cut for hay. In 

 localities where the land is be- 

 coming "alkalied " through im- 

 proper irrigation, this grass is 

 spreading rapidly and often be- 

 comes quite a pest. 



Montana sand-grass {Cala- 

 magrostis montanensis) is the 

 only representative of this 

 genus that is of much impor- 

 tance as a pasture grass on the 

 dry prairies and foothills. Its 

 distribution is rather local, but 

 where it does occur in any 

 quantity it is a valuable grass. 

 It thrives on sterile, sandy 

 prairies and hillsides and 

 produces a large amount of 

 leaves. It cures well on the 

 ground, and hence affords good 

 winter pasturage. It has not 

 been reported south of the 

 Big Horn Basin, in Wyoming, 

 where it was found the past 

 season in considerable abund- 

 ance, particularly along the 

 Gray Bull Iliver, on the west side of tlie basin. It was first observed 

 in quantity at about 5,000 feet altitude, growing on dry, sandy tlats and 

 bluffs, continued plentiful up to about 7,000 feet and then gradually 

 became less and less common, disappearing entirely at 8,000 feet. 



GKASSES OF THE I'GOTHILLS AND MOINTAINS. 



Tlie grasses of the lower foothills differ but little from those of the 

 plains. The sod-forming species become more confined to the valleys 

 and the "bunch" grasses become more and more conspicuous <m the 

 blutts and hillsides. As the higher foothills and mountains are 



Fig. 22.— Salt-graas ( Distichliii spicata) . 



