54 FIELD WORK OF DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



abundiint and has taken possession of many meadows. Some timothy, 

 redtop, and a little alfalfa have also ])een g-rown. Permanent hay 

 meadows would no dou))t be an advantage, however, and there is rea- 

 son to believe that there would be little ditiiculty in securing cultivated 

 fj-rasses which would be successful here. Meadow oat grass {Arrhena- 

 theruiii elatias)^ orchard grass {Buctylix glomerata), meadow fescue 

 {Festuca jiratenak)^ and red clover {Trifolium prateme) can be success- 

 fully grown according to Mr. Davy. With so large a numl)er of avail- 

 able grasses and forage plants to choose from there should be little 

 difficulty in providing pasture the year round, and this seems to l)e one 

 of the things most desirable in order to secure the greatest success for 

 the dairying business. Soiling crops could no doubt also be grown to 

 advantage. 



Considerable work has been done in the study of the sand dunes and 

 the study and collection of the native sand l)inders. Large quantities 

 of seeds and roots of the native sand binders have been collected for 

 distribution and transplanting. Seaside blue grass (PI. XXVII, fig. 1) 

 {Poa iiiacrantha)^ which is abundant on the Oregon coast and which is 

 very efficient in holding drifting sands, has been distrilnited to various 

 places in the interior and on the Atlantic coast, where it is hoped that 

 it may be successfully introduced. Sand rye-grass [Elyiuus anmarlus) 

 is also an excellent native sand binder. Big-head sedge {Carex maa-o- 

 cephaJa) is abundant on the Oregon coast at Seaside (PI. XXVIII). 

 This is a plant which spreads very rapidly by running rootstocks and 

 performs very efficient service in holding the drifting sands. Roots 

 and seeds of this plant have also ])een collected for use in experiments 

 in other localities, where it is hoped that it may l)e successfully intro- 

 duced. Ah'onia latif(Ma and lupines are also of consideral)le impor- 

 tance as sand binders and worthy of trial elsewhere. 



No publication has yet been issued })y the Division dealing specially 

 with the work done in this region. Circular No. 22 on ''Grass and 

 Forage Plant Investigations on the Pacific coast," with the exception 

 of a slight reference to sand-binding grasses, treated entirely of the 

 work done east of the Cascade Mountains, which has already l)een 

 referred to under the discussion of the Northwest. The results of 

 Mr. Davy's work are nearly ready for put)lication, and as they will 

 treat of the different problems very thoroughly and in detail it will 

 not be necessary for us to give more than the outline of the Avork 

 which has already ])een given. The portions of this region lying 

 between Seaside and the southern boundary of Oregon and extending 

 from the coast to the mountains is in need of exi)loration and investi- 

 gation, ami will no doubt repay careful study. The dairying interests 

 are particularly important here, and the value, abundance, and distri- 

 bution of the native grasses and forage plants is little known. 



