75° 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. VI, No. 19 



Astragalus Bondinii and A . hypoglottis, and J uncus longistylus. Grindelia 

 subalpina and Hordeum jubalum are usually present in varying abundance 

 but never attain dominance. This development should be contrasted 

 with that of the Hordeum association. Here we have dependence only 

 on the water factor whereas the Hordeum association was dependent not 

 only on this but also primarily on its own dominance the preceding year. 

 In the case of an abundant water supply, whether or not Hordeum jubatum 

 was locally present, let alone dominant, the first season, it attained 

 dominance the second. Attention has also been called to the stray 

 plants of H. jubatum appearing either in the pure or mixed types of the 

 Agropyron association, a further indication of its aggressiveness. 



In the outline of the meadow activities during the second season no 

 mention has been made of possible new emigrants from the lowlands. 

 As some are destined to have a most important share in the further his- 

 tory of the evolutive upland, the following list is given: 



MEADOW PLANTS APPEARING ON UPLAND SECOND SEASON IRRIGATED 



Deschampsia caespitosa (L.) Beauv. 

 Juncus balticus Willd. var. 

 J uncus bufonius L,. 

 Rutnex mexicanus Meisn. 

 Epilobium Drummondii Haussk. 



Glaux maritima L. 

 Orthocarpus luteus Nutt. 

 Veronica peregrina L. 

 Gnaphalium palustre Nutt. 

 Rudbeckia hirta L. 



Deschampsia caespitosa is one of the best meadow grasses. It is fre- 

 quently associated with Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv., 

 which, strangely enough, seemed to be completely absent in the Rock 

 River territory. It is highly probable, however, that it would bear the 

 same relation as D. caespitosa toward the various factors involved in the 

 present problem. It is highly nutritious, 1 material collected at this 

 altitude containing 7.76 per cent of crude protein (water-free). 



Juncus balticus ranks with /. longistylus in forage value. /. bufonius 

 is a low diffuse annual. 



Rutnex mexicanus is always scattering in its distribution, but is usually 

 a perceptible element in natural-meadow hay. It is probably to be 

 regarded as a weed ; it is coarse and certainly hard on sickle blades. 



The rest are harmless herbs. Orthocarpus luteus under some conditions 

 may become quite weedy in character. Glaux maritima furnishes by its 

 presence another evidence of saline soil. It is as worthless for food as 

 Plantago eriopoda. 



A careful examination of either of the associations defined above would 

 show the presence of at least some of these plants. They would be 

 scattered through the dominant species in an entirely inconspicuous 

 manner. In a large way the Agropyron phase would contain a suggestion 

 of Deschampsia caespitosa, Juncus longistylus, and Orthocarpus luteus, 



1 Knight, H. G., Hepner, F. E., and Nelson, Aven. Op. cit. 



