32 FORAGE CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS. 



AWN LESS BROME. 



As is well known, one of the greatest brorne-grass regions which 

 lias been developed in tins country since seed of Bromv&inermis was 

 introduced by the U. S. Department of Agriculture some years ago is 

 the Palouse region in eastern Washington, but the cultivation of this 

 glass docs not appear to have spread to the westward and northward to 

 such an extent as one would expect. Awnless brome is grown in a 

 limited way, however, in a few of the localities visited, and in all cases 

 appeared to be promising. From the observations made, there seems 

 little doubt that in the Pacific Northwest it will grow and make good 

 returns wherever wheat can be raised for hay. Near the mouth of 

 the Okanogan River a small area of this grass on irrigated land was 

 seen that would cut at least 3 tons of dry feed per acre. An experi- 

 ment conducted in the Okanogan hills, about 8 miles from the British 

 border, was of much interest. An attempt was there being made to 

 raise this grass on rather poor upland soil without irrigation. In the 

 more favored spots in the field it made some hay, and nowhere in the 

 inclosure did it fail to yield twice as much pasturage as could ever be 

 expected on the native range pastures of the vicinity. Small areas of 

 this grass were seen in several other places in this region, but they 

 were usually in pastures, and sometimes this grass was considered by 

 the ranchers of little value on account of its not being able to withstand 

 close grazing well. It appeared to the writer, however, that in many 

 cases the difficulty resulted from the fact that the stock preferred this 

 to the native grasses, and that the poor development was owing to its 

 not having sufficient chance to make a growth." 



Nowhere in the Blue Mountains was any awnless brome grass seen 

 until Izee was reached. There Mr. C. W. Bonham was experimenting 

 in a small but very intelligent way, having about an acre of it grow- 

 ing in a corner of his garden, some with and some without irrigation. 

 The experiment appeared very promising. Mr. Bonham reports that 

 it is difficult to get the grass started, but he thinks that if sown at the 

 proper time in a favorable year, and if irrigation were practiced, less 

 difficulty would be experienced. He believes that it will make a good 

 crop without irrigation when once a stand is secured. Some persons 

 in Bear Valley are said to be preparing to put in large acreages of 

 this grass next season. There is little doubt that it will succeed in 

 many places in these mountains, where a much poorer quality of hay 

 is now raised/' 



"At the experiment station at Pullman, Wash., awnless brome Lrrass was less 

 injured by close grazing than any other grass. — 11'. -/. S. 



''This .irrass yields a large crop of hay the second year from seed, hut thereafter is 

 adapted only to pasture purposes. — IT. •/. S. 



