104 



SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



of each species observed, as it is intluenced by its envirunment, and 

 to discover the characters by which different but similar species may 

 be distinguished. 



By riding or walking day after day through meadows, forests, and 

 plains, observing the cattle and sheep on the grazing areas, one learns 

 the choice of stock as to the different species of grasses. Some species 

 are eaten greedily ; others are avoided or eaten only under the pres- 

 sure of hunger. 



A few years ago I described as new a species of mountain blue- 

 grass sent in by a correspondent from southwestern Oregon. On this 



Fig. 122. — Beargrass (Xcrophyllnin toia.v), a conspicuous liliaceous plant 

 with white flowers found in meadows and openings in July. Cascade Forest, 

 Oregon. Summit of the Cascade range in the background. 



trip I was able for the first time to observe this species in its native 

 habitat. It is confined to a rather limited area but is abundant there. 



Grasses grow under a great variety of conditions, forest, meadow, 

 plain, marsh, rocky slopes, cliffs, alkali flats, seashore, even to the 

 highest peaks except where covered by permanent snow. But in 

 the main each species is confined to a definite set of environmental 

 conditions. 



Specimens of grasses were collected to record the observations 

 made, the total number reaching some 200, representing about too 

 different species. Common and well known species were not taken. 



