EFFECTS OF OVER - FEEDING GRASSES. 79 



Africa with Meriuo sheep. Troublesome burrs are introduced, 

 which crowd tlie grasses besides injuring the wool. 



When first introduced, the sheep fed mainly on the grass, 

 which in this dry, hot country, began to fail. There were too 

 many sheep for the moderate supply of grasses. Soon the sheep 

 fed on the brush and scrub, and the ground left to them, and to 

 obnoxious and poisonous herbs. As the vegetation became 

 scarce, bitter and nauseous plants of the neighboring region 

 came in and hel})ed to extirpate the indigenous flora, and render 

 it more and more unfit for sheep. As these were forced to eat 

 diagreeable food, it greatly injured the mutton. What is true 

 of Southern Africa is proving true in many parts of the dry, 

 native pastures of the United States. Numerous herds will soon 

 over feed and "^"^ stamp out " the native grasses. 



Continuous manuring of any kind, continuous mowing or 

 pasturing, — a continuous treatmeiit of any kind will soon pro- 

 duce a change in the plants. 



Dr. 'Samuel Aughey, in Science, 1883, in speaking of the 

 Nebraska flora, says: "A remarkable peculiarity is its change- 

 able character. This is conspicuous among the grasses. In 1865, 

 much of the uplands of Lancaster count}' was covered with 

 buffalo-grass. By 1871 nearly all of this sj^ecies had disappeared, 

 and its place was taken by blue-joints [Andropogon furcatus, 

 A. scoparius, etc.) interspersed with Boutelouas, Chrysopogon 

 nutans, Sporobohis, etc. Iii 1878 the blue-joints disappeared, 

 and the Bonteloua.s usurped their i^lace. Similar j^henomena 

 were observed in almost every county in the State. During the 

 last two years Clirysojmgon {Sorghvm) nutans has been gaining 

 in Eastern Nebraska over all others. This tendency to change is 

 common in other States. When old Fort Calhoun, above 

 Omaha, was occupied by the military, twenty-five years ago, 

 Kentucky blue-grass was brought in baled hay to that post from 

 the South. It spontaneously took root and spread in every 



