18 NOTES ON THE NORTHWEST. 



ton snake-root. Extensive beds of the Virginia strawberry 

 are frequently met with in low places ; and in the vicinity of 

 Salinas, a species of clover called buffalo clover. On the 

 arid slopes is the pink milk vetch, inhabited by millions of 

 Spanish flies. Sandbrakes are generally full of mustard and 

 dwarf amaranths ; whilst the stony-grassy borders are fring- 

 ed with dense bushes of the mimosa tribe and long-leaved 

 willows. Finally, all the high prairies abound with the 

 silver-leaved psoralia, which is the prairie turnip of the 

 Americans, the pomme des prairies of the Canadians, and 

 furnishes an invaluable food to the Indians." 



Of grasses, the growth is very luxuriant and various. 

 Fitted for the abode of the innumerable herds of buffalo 

 that formerly roamed over it in divided empire with the In- 

 dian, this country aff'ords perhaps the best pasture, whether 

 natural or artificial, on the earth. Many of the varieties of 

 the English cultivated grasses are found here. The fox tail, 

 the crow foot, and the oat grass are native here. On the 

 bottoms is a very luxuriant grass, growing on a round stem 

 or culm, eight to nine feet high, which cattle eat with avidi- 

 ty. There is also a sweet scented grass, having nearly the 

 smell of savory. On all the upland prairie is a very nour- 

 ishing grass, growing from two to three feet, which furnishes 

 the winter food for cattle and horses. This grass is exceed- 

 ing good, both for summer and winter food, and both for beef 

 and butter. The latter article in the prairie country of Iowa 

 is unusually sweet and delicious. 



The buffalo and beaver, formerly abundant, at the discovery 

 of the country, have withdrawn. The former are now west 

 of the Missouri River. A few beaver may perhaps occasion- 

 ally be found in the more remote parts of tlie country, in the 

 highest latitude. The elk is yet on the border settlements in 

 Iowa : the deer is very abundant. To the west, toward the 



