THE NEBRASKA SAND HILLS. 287 



rhizome type of propagation, the very same character that fits Redfieldia 

 for capturing the blow-out, that the bulrush is enabled to thus encroach 

 upon the open water and finally to capture the lake. In the one 'case we 

 have a species successfully eradicating a very dry, unstable habitat and 

 in the other case a different species eradicating a very wet, stable habitat 

 by identically the same means. The 'creeping rhizomes of the bulrush 

 keep reaching into deeper water as the lake bottom is built up until other 

 species are enabled to gain a hold back of the rushes. Thus other species 

 follow in the wake of the bulrushes, and then come the common wet 

 meadow species. At last the water is gone, the aquatic plants are gone, 

 the bulrushes are gone, and the wet meadow plants have full possession 

 of the former lake area, and perhaps the stockman now mows his hay 

 where once was open water. 



The soil and climatic conditions over the Sand Hills as a whole 

 are such as to fit this region in a peculiar manner for the grazing of im- 

 mense herds of cattle. It is from the pursuit of this great industry that 

 the region must always furnish its greatest returns. Thousands of cattle 

 are annually shipped to the eastern markets from the Sand Hills. It is 

 truly amazing to the "newcomer" to see how well the stock does upon 

 what seems to be very meager forage. But with a well-kept range for 

 the summer and plenty of hay for the winter the cattleman realizes a 

 neat return from his labors. Those inhabitants who are so fortunate as 

 to possess fertile valley land in addition to their upland range have made 

 considerable progress along agricultural lines. The soil in many valleys 

 is sufficiently fertile for the production of almost all of the common field 

 and garden crops. Naturally because of the low acreage of agricultural 

 land this industry will never reach great proportions. Alfalfa is destined 

 to become the most important single forage crop in the Sand Hills. There 

 are already many very good fields of this valuable plant. It is especially 

 fitted to the soil conditions of many valleys, and when once established 

 it resists the fury of the wind in a very encouraging manner. The suc- 

 cess that has already been obtained by the early sowings should encour- 

 age other settlers to try it out very carefully. Care must be taken not 

 to sow it on land where the water table is close to the surface. I have 

 seen fields of alfalfa actually drowned out in this semi-arid region. 



Enormous crops of garden vegetables may be obtained from the river 

 flats if the gardens are so situated that the land may be irrigated from 

 the river — and this is possible in a great many places. There are hun- 

 dreds of acres on flats along the Loup River that could be made to yield 

 high returns from truck crops. A small irrigation plant would cost but 

 little, and the luxury of fresh vegetables would gladden the whole life 

 of many a Sand Hill housewife who too often "digs" or "pulls" all of 

 her garden truck from cans. 



Much has been said and written about the possibility of covering the 

 Sand Hills with trees. About ten years ago the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, acting upon a suggestion from Professor Charles E. Bessey, 

 made a preliminary examination of the region to determine if the coudi- 



