WILD GRASSES. 



109 



deal from year to year in different parts of the State. In the eastern 

 half Andtopogon furcatus, A. scoparius, Bouteloua curtipendula, B. 

 hirsuta, Sorgum nutans and Sporobolus heterolepis supply perhaps 

 about two-thirds or three-fourths of the grazing and hay lands. 

 For the purpose of ascertaining the value of these grasses, com- 

 pared with cultivated ones, I have made an analysis of Sorgum nutans 

 and Andropogon furcatus. The analysis of red clover, white clover 

 and lucerne is that of EinhofF and Cronie. For convenience, they 

 are placed in parallel columns : 



Sorgum Anclropogon Red 



White. 



Water 74.0 



Starch 1.9 



Woody fibre 14.0 



Sugar 3.5 



Albumen 21 



Extractive matter and gum. ... 2.9 



Fatty matter 0.0 



Phosphate of Lime 1 .0 



100.0 



furcatus. Clover. Clover. Lucerne. 



100.0 



100.0 



100.0 



100.0 



The substances which produce fat, such as sugar, starch, and 

 gum, contain the three elements of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. 

 Those that produce muscle, blood and nerves, like albumen, contain 

 in addition to the preceding, nitrogen. Now, an examination of the 

 above analysis shows that all the essential qualities for the best food 

 for cattle are contained by these wild grasses. They are at least 

 equal, if not superior in these particulars, to the best cultivated 

 forage and hay crops. It will also be noticed that in phosphate of 

 lime, so essential for the growth of bones ( u and brain food?") these 

 grasses are equally well supplied. The buffalo grass also contains 

 three and six- tenths per cent of saccharine matter. I have not had 

 time to carry out this analysis any further. First in the list of Ne- 

 braska grasses is Sorgum nutans, Gray. The only popular name 

 that I have heard is one that I proposed myself, namely, sorgum 

 grass. When growing in the early part of the season, it is not 

 easy to distinguish it from blue joint. As soon, however, as its 

 tawny, russet-like spikelets in a dense panicle, make their appear- 

 pearance, it is known at a glance among any number of other 

 species. Toward the end of the season, the panicle nods. Spike- 

 lets are generally in pairs or threes, and are ciliate with a ring of 



