22 FIELD WORK OF DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



pastures rikI tlie fjrowth of weeds. Many farmers attempt t(j raiwe more stock than 

 tlu'ir pastures will safely accommodate. The grasses can not endure the close 

 grazing and excessive trampling to which they are subjected, and consequently they 

 die out. Snow in this section of the State is usually blown from the open fields soon 

 after falling, and hence can not be depended upon to protect the grass roots in pas- 

 tures that have been too closely grazed. As a result of this, weedy annuals, like 

 southern poverty grass, foxtail and squirrel-tail, spring up to take the place of the 

 1 letter perennial species, or the native ragweeds and verbenas spread and occupy the 

 soil. All of these have become so plentiful that farmers remark on their more 

 frequent occurrence now than in former years. Several rank-growing weeds are 

 abundant in meadows and pastures of western Iowa. Sunflower and marsh elder 

 find in the rich alluvial soil of the river bottoms a most congenial place for their 

 devel<)i)ment. They are especially troublesome on land that is often flooded during 

 sjjring freshets. It may be that farmers of this region who rely chiefly on the hay 

 crop will be obliged to introduce l)etter turf-forming grasses, such as can resist the 

 inroads of these weeds. From what I have seen of blue grass in this region it may 

 prove a good grass for this purpose, and hungarian brome [Bromus inermiit) may 

 prove of even greater value. Snow-on-the-mountain [Euphorhiti marginata), a well- 

 known ornamental i)lant, is a serious pest in western and northwestern Iowa, 

 (jolden rods are often troublesome in pastures, especially SoJiihujo cmuulensiH and 

 <S'. rigida. Stock will not eat them unless forced to do so, and when ontre well 

 established in the pasture they are very difticult to eradicate. 



In reoard to Nebra.ska Dr. Pammel write.s as follows: 



Grazing is ikav and ever will be an important industry in the western half of the 

 State. Although the grasses may not grow so luxuriantly season after season in 

 Nebraska as in Iowa, the climate is more favorable for winter grazing than in the 

 latter State, and there is a large number of valuable species of native forage plants. 



Under the head of native grasses the great value of the more impor- 

 tant species is referred to, the necessity of the careful conservation of 

 the natural hay and grazing lands is urged, and the great injury result- 

 ing from overstocking is pointed out. 



Mr. Williauis's work in this region was carried on at different times 

 since 1896 in eastern Nebraska, eastern, central, and western South 

 Dakota, and also in southeastern North Dakota. Mr. Williams was 

 particularly well fitted for attacking the forage problems here on 

 account of his long residence in the region and the careful and special 

 study which he had given the subject, especially while acting as bota- 

 nist of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The 

 results of his field work in this region, as well as those of Mr. Vj. N. 

 Wilcox, Dr. David Grifiiths, and Mr. ]M, A. Brannon, were published 

 in Bulletin No. 6, "Grasses and Forage Plants of the Dakotas."' A 

 general review was made of the fai-ming and stock-raising regions of 

 North and South Dakota, indicating the characteristics of the various 

 natural areas and pointing out the special adv^antages of each for vari- 

 ous agricultural and forage purposes. A description of tlie native 

 grasses is given and the value of each for different purposes is pointed 

 out. Attention is particularly called to Ww great vahie of the natural 



