FESTTCKAE 121 



(ir ;• dozen flo\vti\-> (8 to 16). It is a sod-forming grass, 

 spreading by underground siems and occurs in all the low 

 wet alkaline soils in the State, being most common in the 

 irrigated valleys where the water table comes so close to the 

 surface that the alkali is gradually being concentrated in 

 the upjjer layer of soil l)y capillarity and evaporation. Until 

 such soils get to be very strongly alkaline this grass can 

 and docs grow in it if there be sufficient water. It is quite 

 common in the Rio Grande and Pecos Valleys at tlie lower 

 levels and is frequently fenced and used as a pasture grass. 

 It is not very good pasture but is much better than none 

 and because there is no better available it is used somewhat 

 extensively. 



The genus Poa to which the Kentucky Blue Grass 

 belongs is represented in XtVv- Mexico by 17 species most of 

 vshich are. not of any great importance. This is really a 

 small number of species of this very large genus for such 

 an area as New Mexico, but the Poas are mostly grasses of 

 the n-oist and cool regions and hnd a poor welcome in this 

 State. ]^.Iost of our s* ecies are restricted to tlie higher, cool 

 forests ard n":ountain tops above limber line. A f.w species 

 are nrite valuable in the warmer mountain^ .Among these 

 Muttoi Grass is perhaps the most important. The two 

 annual s])ecies. Poa annua and P. higclozii. are slender, green 

 prasses found only in the mountains in moist, rich soil. They 

 are both small, resemble each other pretty closely, and are 

 O' no great importance, though they add some small amount 

 IG the sur.imer forage of the timbered areas. 



Blue Grass or Kentucky Blue-grass (Poa pratensis) 

 is too v^-ell known to need description. It has been introduced 

 in many places in the State and at the higher levels does very 

 well when it gets enough water. Idie lower irrigated valleys 

 are really too hot for it, though an occasional energetic and 

 persistant individual manages to make it grow by special care 

 — I'Sually in a small dooryard plat or lawn. At levels above 

 t^'OOO feet where it is irrigated with clear water it grows verv 



