IIOOKY MOUNTAIN KK(iI(»N. 35 



is hijjjlKT. Ill the southern part of Colorado it can l>o protitahly 

 ^rowu at an altitude of 7,500 feet, hut there are still largo areas of 

 suital)le lands throughout this region lying- at too great an altitude to 

 grow this crop. In this case, as in tliat of the arid and alkali soils, 

 the solution of the pro])leni is believed to be found in the cultivation 

 and adaptation of the native grasses and forage plants. For the 

 higher altitudes there are several ])luc grasses {Poa spp.) which pro- 

 duce hay of excellent quality. Other excellent species for these 

 localities are species of Broums^ especially western ))ronie grass [Bro- 

 iitffs j/>(//ij/ellumm) and short awned lironie grass {Brovuns iimnjl- 

 natus). Various species of blue-joint {CalaiiaKjroHtii^ ^W-) Alpine 

 timothy {Phleu,ii(. <dplnuin), western foxtail {Alojjeoarus occidental Is) 

 and red fescue {Festuca ruln'a) are all valuable meadow grasses, which 

 produce good forage at altitudes too high for the production of any 

 of the cultivated species. After a description of the forage con- 

 ditions on the range of western South Dakota and north-eastern 

 Wyoming, consisting of an {i])stract from the report of Mr. Griffiths 

 for 1897, the cultivated grasses and forage plants which have been 

 tried or give indications of s..ccess in this region are fully descri)>ed, 

 and their particular characteristics and adapta))ility to particular con- 

 ditions pointed out. The native grasses and forage plants are also 

 discussed. In referring to the native grasses Mr. Williams says: 



The gi'wit eeononiic importance of the native grasses is at uuce apparent when one 

 recalls the many thousands of sheep, cattle, horses, and mules that are raised in this 

 region, and that depend entirely upon the native grasses and forage plants for sub- 

 sistence for from eight to twelve jnonths in the year. That tlie (juality of the forage 

 afforded is excellent is shown by the fact that most of the vast numbers of fat cattle 

 and sheep annually shipped to eastern markets from this region received no other 

 food than that furnished by the natural meado\\s and i)astures of the ranges. 



The more important native grasses are arranged for purposes of dis- 

 cussion in two groups, nieadow grasses and pasture grasses. Of the 

 native nnnidow or hay grasses the great value of the wheat grasses 

 {Agropyroti spp.), the rye grasses {Ely mas spp.), and the blue grasses 

 {l\)(i spp.) is pointed out. The native pasture grasses are treated of 

 under two su])heads, ''Grasses of the plains" and '^Grasses of the 

 foothills and mountains." The grasses of the plains referred to here 

 are those which we have already discussed in dealing with the plains 

 region. The grasses of the foothills and mountains are muuerous and 

 consist largely of bunch grasses. Sheep's fescue (FcstKca, orlna)^ 

 bunch wheat grass {A<ir<>pyn>u splcatiun)^ needle grasses {Stlpa spp.) 

 are al)undant and of great value. There is nothing to indicate that 

 these grasses may not be successfully cultivated. 1 ii fact, experiments 

 already imdertaken with some of them have shown that they adapt 

 themselves readily to cultivation, and there is little dou})t that in the 

 near future seeds of these species will be grown and the plants regu 



