189 



t Poa cotnpressa) and other species of Poa. All these are found 

 intermingled with the wild indigenous grasses to a greater or less 

 extent in the highway pastures of the State. The beard grasses (Andro- 

 pogons) form by far the largest number of grasses that occur in the nat- 

 ural pastures on the Cumberland table-land and on the Highland Rim. 



WILD LEGUMINOUS AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS FOUND 

 IN THE HIGHWAY PASTURES OF TENNESSEE. 



There are many species of wild vetches, beans, peas and nuts, and 

 several grazing plants belonging to the leguminous family that are found 

 in the highway pastures and woods and in old fields, fence corners and 

 waste places that furnish forage, seeds and nuts highly nutritious for 

 stock. The wild vetches are especially abundant. Among the most valu- 

 able are the small flowered vetch CVicia micrantha), Carolina vetch 



/>iof> SivJ (iniss—SfioinhKlits /inliriis 



(Vicia Caroliniana). 'American vetch ( N'icia Americana). Tennessee milk 

 vetch (Astragalus Tennessiensis), Canada milk vetch (Vicia Canadensis). 

 These vetches are foimd in most of the highway pasture.^ of the State, 

 sometimes abundant, sometimes scarce, adapting themselves to the char- 

 acter of the soil, some preferring a limestone soil, others a sandy soil. 

 Some of these make excellent food for cattle, sheep and hogs. 



The pencil flower (Stylosanthes elatior) is found on the sandy soils 

 throughout the State. It is a lowly herb, growing in tufts and the stems 

 are downy on one side. It has an orange yellow flower. Cattle are 

 very fond of it. 



Bush clover (Lespedeza). There are six or eight species of this 

 genus known to grow in Tennessee. The Lespedeza repens, Lespedeza 



