PAMMEL — NOTES ON GRASSES OF NEBRASKA, ETC. 23I 



Fall River County, vSouth Dakota. In the vicinity of Edgemont the 

 elevation is 3,415 feet and higher hills 3,550. Many of the hills are 

 nearly denuded except an occasional Pimis poudcrosa var. scopuloruni. 

 On the dry sterile hills Stipa cnnata and Koeleria cristata are abund- 

 ant. The small, narrow valle}s contain an abundance of Agropyron 

 spicatum. Eldgemont marks the southeastern portion of the Black 

 Hills range. Between Edgemont and New Castle, on the western 

 slope of the range, there is a continuous rise. At the latter point the 

 el.evation is 4,019 feet. The coniferous woods contain mostly the 

 Pinus ponderosa var. scopuloruni. The green of the leaves is in strong 

 contrast with the soil which is covered by minute particles of a black 

 shale. The hills are extremely rugged and are traversed by small and 

 narrow caiions. In the coniferous woods such grasses as Koeleria 

 crisfata, Poa Buckleyaua Oryzopsis Diicrantha, are common. The 

 Agropyf'on spicafum and Boutcloua otii^ostachya are common on the 

 plains, affording excellent pasturage. In the canons Stipa viridula, 

 Elyinus coudensatus are common. These are associated with two species 

 of Syiiiphoricarpos: the S. occidentalis and 6". racemosus. 



Such hydroph}'tic plants as Panicularia aquatica and P. nerziata, 

 occur along the streams. One notes further, such eastern and northern 

 plants as Cystoptc7-is fragilis, Galium aparine and Rubus strigosus in 

 the woods. 



From New Castle to Gillette there is a gradual incline. The ele- 

 vation at Gillette is 4,520 feet, one of the highest points along the 

 division of the road. The country is extremely broken, consisting of 

 low ranges intersected by narrow canons. In the distance from 

 Moorcroft the famous Devil's Tower may be seen. The Pinus pon- 

 derosa var. scopuloruni becomes less numerous. As we left Jerome, 

 and at Moorcroft, it seemed to disappear except an occasional pine on 

 some hill. The hills seemed sterile and afforded but a scant 

 growth. The Artemisia tridentata on the higher [joints and A. longi- 

 folia in the valleys are conspicuous plants of the region. The 

 Agropyron spicatum and Boutcloua oUgostachya were common about 

 Gillette. Another grass which we had seen quite common at Edge- 

 mont and New Castle ajjpeared to thrive on the dry plateau, namely, 

 Hordeum cacspitosum. From Gillette to Sheridan the country retained 

 much the same character, the same red clay deposits with long ranges 

 of low hills intersected by canons. These hills are much subject to 

 washing at some seasons and are nearly devoid of vegetation. Between 



