NATIVE PASTURES. 



81 



very uufavorably. But, short and brown as thev are, they are 

 no doubt the richest in the world." 



Some of the leading grasses which form the native pastures 

 of Texas are: G-ama— grass, [Tn'jjsacum), Panicum virga- 

 tum, a kind of Panic grass, Indian grass, Chrysopogon nutans^ 

 Andropogoii scoparius and ^-1. provincialis. The last two are 

 known as blue-stems, and the latter as broom grass, or broom- 

 sedge. Tricuspis [Triodia) sesleroides, fall red-top, is prominent 

 in places. A vast number of smaller species help make up the 

 pastures, but they are less widely diffused or less prominent than 

 those named above. 



In the Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1870, T. 

 R. Dodge states: "The relative value of these species as forage 

 grasses differs very Avidely, a few of them being entirely worth- 

 less. The largest number of the species could be dispensed with 

 without manifest disadvantage to the grazing interests of the 

 country. The relative value of the twelve most important species 

 is exhibited in the following table of per centum estimates, one 

 hundred representing the aggregate value of the twelve : 



Andropogon (furcatiis) provincialis 



Andropogon scoparius 



Chrysopogon (Sorghum) nutans... 



Sporo bolus hetorolepis 



Bucliloe dactvloides 



Bouteloua ohgostachya 



Spartina cynosuroides 



Festuca ovina 



Festuca macrostachya 



Bromus Kahmi. 



Poa serotina 



Stipa viridula 



11 



c 



Pi 



Per Cent. 



40 

 20 

 20 

 13 



5 







2 























Per Cent. 



16 

 10 



12 



1 



5 

 10 



2 

 20 



5 



