372 GRASSES OP IOWA. 



It is then customary to drag a short-toothed harrow over the 

 sod, which breaks up the creeping roots or underground stems, 

 and each fragment then makes a new plant." 



At various times it has been cultivated on the college farm. 

 When sown in March a cutting of a good quality of hay may be 

 made the same season. Though not producing so large a bulk 

 as timothy and some other grasses, its quality is unsurpassed. 

 A pound of western wheat grass contains more nutrient mate- 

 rial than either blue grass or timothy. It stands drouth in a 

 remarkable manner; the leaves and stems are bright and green 

 during the dryest weather. The plant is much subject to the 

 attacks of ergot, but this is not a serious objection if the hay 

 is cut early. 



This grass is a rigid, upright perennial. On the college 

 farm during the season of 1900 it measured 2 feet and 3 

 inches; usually, however, it is from li to 2 feet high. It pro- 

 duces an abundance of leaves. The leaves have a bluish color, 

 hence the common name, Colorado blue stem. It closely 

 resembles the common quack grass, but is much more valuable 

 for dry places. This grass has much more solid material than 

 quack grass. Dr. Kennedy* speaking of this grass says: 



"While it does not produce as much hay to the acre as some 

 other species, stockmen value it highly for its nutritive qual- 

 ities. In Montana and the neighboi ing states it furnishes a 

 considerable amount of native hay and pasturage, and is there 

 regarded as one of the most important forage plants. This 

 grass would make f xcellent hay, and should be introduced into 

 cultivation. " 



F. Lamson-ScribnerJ says: 



"In Montana and the neighboring states it furnishes a con- 

 siderable amount of rative hay, and is there regarded as one 

 of the most important of the native forage plants. After three 

 or four successive annual cuttings, the yield diminishes very 

 much, but the grass is 'brought up' by letting it stand a year 

 or two, or by dragging over the sod a sharp-toothed harrow, 

 thus breaking the roots into small • pieces, every fragment of 

 which makes a new plant." 



At the Iowa Agricultural College Experiment Station it has 

 done exceedingly well under cultivation. 



*BuU. U. S. Dept. Agrl. Div. Agrost 62: 18. 

 tBuU. U. S. Dept. Agrl. Dlv. Agrost. 3.18. 



