30 FIELD WORK OF DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



tunity was aft'orded here to note, the effect of a sliuht increase in the 

 supply of moistui-o upon the native grasses, as many of the native 

 uieadows here are undei- irrio-jition. Several of the wheat grasses and 

 rve o-rasses {A(/r(>j>i/r<m and Khjimt.^ ^^\).) grow hixuriantiy; also the 

 u-ranias and the manna grasses (Boutdoua and Paii!cul(ir/<(. spp.) (PI. 

 Vlll, lig. 1). Contiiuiing Avestward, the mountain range lands in the 

 vicinity of Vi'taPass were visited. As overstocking has not been car- 

 ried on here, at least to anj^ great extent, in recent years, the pasture 

 lands are in very fair condition. On the open mountain slopes several 

 bunch grasses are (piite abundant, esi)ecially the fescues. One species in 

 particular, T-'hurber's fescue (i'^.s^'^wv^. thu.rl>erl),gvo^\^ very luxuriantly 

 here. This, besides its value for pasture, gives great promise for cul- 

 tivation. A small area of it has been grown in the grass garden at 

 ^^^lshington, and it has shown itself readily adapted to cultivation. 

 Efforts have been made to secure a sufficient quantity of seed to exper- 

 iment with more extensively, and it may ultimately prove superior to 

 the meadow fescues for cultivation, especially in the more arid regions. 

 Western brome {Brovms jmuijjellimin^) is also found in considerable 

 quantity in Veta Pass and vicinity. Species of blue grass, wheat grass, 

 and rye grass also occur frequently, and furnish excellent forage. 



The San Luis Valley was next visited. The greater portion of this 

 valley is a great arid plain, covered o\'er the major part with sage 

 brush {Artemisia sp.) and buck ])rush {Bigelovia spp.). Some por- 

 tions are irrigated from artesian wells as well as l)y water taken from 

 the Rio Grande. There are extensive alkali areas on which salt grass 

 {DistichUs spicata) is very abundant. Over the greater portion of 

 the range land the grasses are few and scattered. Slender wheat 

 grass {AifTopijnm teneruin) was originally described and named from 

 specimens collected in this valley in the vicinity of Garland, and it is 

 a species of considerable economic importance here as elsewhere in 

 Colorado. After studies and collections had been made at Garland, 

 Alamosa, and Villa Grove, the mountain meadows and pastures about 

 Marshall Pass were visited. The condition of the range here, as well 

 as of the forage plants, is very similar to that of Veta Pass. The 

 range here has apparently not been overstocked to any great extent, 

 and its carrying capacity therefore not materially diminished. The 

 comparative inaccessibility of these higher mountain pastures prevents 

 their being ranged over so extensively as the more accessil)le range 

 lands of the lower altitudes. Many valuable species of native grasses 

 occur here and grow in great luxuriance, especially in the immediate 

 vicinity of the low lands and wet meadows. Blue grasses, bromes, 

 rye grasses, and wheat grasses predominate. Passing from Marshall 

 Pass to the Gunnison Valley, considerable areas of native meadow 

 lands are found along the streams, and these produce abundant crops 



