88 AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF MONTANA. 



shelter. In the valleys the standing grass cures, with all the 

 nutritive j^roperties held within the tissues, affording excellent 

 hay for winter grazing. 



The region abounds in a great variety of species, the whole 

 number discovered being one hundred and twelve. Some are 

 rare ; many have little value, while one or two can only be 

 treated as troublesome Aveeds. 



Broom-sedge, Broom-grass, or Beard-grass (Andro^jogon sco- 

 parius), is widely dispersed from Maine to Texas, and west to the 

 Rocky Mountains. It grows in dry, thin, or sandy soil, and 

 thus serves a good purpose in furnishing fair forage where little 

 else will grow. In some parts of the Missouri river and Rocky 

 Mountain regions this grass is very abundant, and is highly 

 prized, both for hay and for grazing. In tlie East it is looked 

 upon as comparatively worthless. 



Reed Canary-grass [Phalm-is arundinacea) grows naturally 

 in Montana in wet i:)laces, along streams, etc., and adds a little 

 to the grazing. 



Olottntain Timothy' {Alojjemriis pratetisis. var. alpestris). 

 This grass is quite common at elevations of from five to seven 

 thousand feet above the sea, growing in rich soil along mountain 

 streams, and frequenting the so-called 'mountain meadows.' 

 In the large, open park, a few miles west of Neihardt, there are 

 many acres covered with this grass, and when I passed through 

 the place, Augtist 14th, it Avas being harvested for hay. It 

 yields a large bulk of fine, long, bright-colored hay, and is highly 

 valued. It has tall, slender, leafy cttlms, three feet high, with 

 an oblong head, similar to that of Timothy, whence its local 

 name, but the heads are shorter, thicker, and conspicuously 

 hairy. For the more elevated meadows of the Rocky Mountain 

 region and for northern latittides, there is no grass which so 

 highly commends itself as this, both for hay and for summxcr 

 grazing. It is closely allied to the European Meadow Foxtail. 



