LESS IMPORTANT GRASSES AND LEGUMES. 39 



tested at the Nebraska Station, l)iit the above renuirks concerning the 

 seed habits apply nearly as well to this species. 



Indian grufix {Aiidropixjon initani<). ~X tall grass growing- in the 

 Eastern States and westward nearly to the mountains. It forms an 

 important constituent of all the wild hay of the ])rairie regions except 

 toward the north. It is of especial value on account of its numerous 

 root leaves, The plot of this grass tested gave tinally a luxuriant 

 growth of foliage, althougii it was injured somewhat hy the drought 

 of 15H)1. The poor seed habits of this grass stand in the way of its 

 cultivation. The seed is usually not verj' abundant and is often of low 

 vitality. 



Tall oat-graKH {Arrheiiatherun) elatius). — One of the European 

 meadow grasses which has been grown on a small scale in this country 

 for many years. As it is a bunch grass and does not form a close sod 

 it should not be used alone, ])ut doubtless it will be a valuable addition 

 to a mixture such as orchard grass and meadow f(>scue. It is fairl}^ 

 drought resistant, and has the ([ualit}' of producing a comparatively 

 rank growth the lirst season, for which reason it has found favor as a 

 whiter pasture grass in the South. In general, however, it seems to 

 be ])etter adapted to meadows than to pastures. The station plots 

 gave a good growth of forage which produced excellent hay. One 

 plot, one-lifth acre in size, sown in 1!)()1 and resown in 1!>()2, produced 

 on June 23, -tlO pounds of hay, or at the rate of 2,050 pounds to the 

 acre. After the cuttino- a tine aftermath Avas formed. In 1908 the 

 same plot j'ielded (June 10) only 310 pounds, or at the rate of 1,550 

 pounds to the acre, ))earing out the experience elsewhere that a 

 meadow of tall oat-grass reaches its maximum development early and 

 then deteriorates. 



Blue graiiut {Bouteloua ollgostachyd). — Blue grama is one of the 

 important constituents of upland grazing regions of the Great Plains 

 and is often called butfalo grass, but it should l)e distinguished from 

 the true buffalo grass with which it is usuall}^ associated. Blue grama 

 does not produce so large a quantity of seed and the seed is not so 

 easily gathered or handled as side-oats grama, but ranchmen state that 

 it is superior to this grass in nutritive qualities and palatability, and 

 furthermore. that it forms a thick sod, while the other does not. The 

 growth is short, usually about a foot high, and hence this grass is not 

 adapted for hay except under favorable conditions, though for pasture 

 it is exceedingly valuable. Seed was sown on one plot in 1898 and on 

 a second plot in 1900. The grass was slow^ to start from seed and the 

 growth in the spring was slow even when the plot was established, 

 but the stand thickened up w^ell, and during the dry season of 1901 it 

 was the only grass ])esides side-oats grama that gave sufficient growth 

 for pasture during the period of extreme drought. 



