GRASS 'AND HAY 143 



Spurrey (Spergula maxima) . Similar to common spurrey, but mak- 

 ing a ranker growth ; it is rich in flesh-forming ingredients and is a 

 valuable species. Giant Vetch (Vicia gigantea). A tall perennial 

 growing in the forest region of Oregon and Washington, highly 

 valued there as a forage plant. Goat's Rue, also called Goat's Clover 

 (Galega officinalis). A forage plant of value on account of its resist- 

 ance to drought, which has been recommended for the northern 

 prairies and central Rocky Mountain districts ; it is usually fed green, 

 as it makes a poor quality of hay, and is not readily eaten by stock 

 until they have become accustomed to its taste. Golden Clover 

 (Trifolium agrarium) . A perennial widely naturalized on sandy 

 fields and by roadsides in the Eastern States as far south as Virginia ; 

 it is of value in sandy pastures. Golden Rod (Solidago). There are 

 a great number of species distributed throughout the United States. 

 In New York and other portions of the East where sheep are raised, 

 golden rod is highly esteemed as a fattening, healthful, and nutritious 

 forage, though cattle and horses will not touch it. Gorse (Ulex 

 europaeus) . A perennial leguminous shrub, a forage plant for dry 

 and barren hillsides, in places too steep or where the soil is too thin 

 to admit of the cultivation of better ones. Farm horses almost en- 

 tirely maintained upon it during the winter months, the crushed 2- 

 year-old branches being fed at the rate of about 40 pounds per day. 

 Twenty or 25 pounds of seed are required for an acre. It is a valu- 

 able forage plant to sow on barren hillsides. Sheep are very fond of 

 and fatten quickly upon it. This legume is a strong potash feeder. 

 Its roots penetrate deeply, bringing up stores of potash from the sub- 

 soil. On this account gorse is sometimes recommended as an excel- 

 lent fertilizing crop to use in renovating hard and sterile soils. 

 Greasewood (Sarcobatus vermicularis) . The name greasewood is 

 commonly applied to a number of thorny shrubs characteristic of 

 strongly alkaline soils. The common greasewood, or Chico plant, of 

 the Rocky Mountain ranges from the Upper Missouri and Platte 

 rivers to the Gila and the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas. It 



frows to the height of 4 to 8 feet. The narrow leaves are usually 1 to 

 */2 inches long, and are very numerous on the young shoots and 

 branches. Many of the latter are thorn-pointed. One would never 

 imagine that this greasewood' could have any value as forage, yet 

 cattle and sheep eat the leaves and browse the smaller stems. The 

 seeds are also eaten. An analysis of the ash of this plant at the New 

 Mexico Experiment Station snowed 22 per cent of potash and 23.9 

 per cent of soda present. A sample of soil taken from under one of 

 the plants contained two-tenths per cent of black alkali, while a simi- 

 lar sample taken 20 feet away from the plant showed no black alkali. 

 Green Sage (Bigelovia). There are a large number of species in the 

 Rocky Mountain region ; they are shrubby perennials with inconspic- 

 uous leaves and small yellow flowers. All are rank smelling and un- 

 suited for forage in summer, but winter the green sages are eaten by 

 both cattle and sheep. Ground almond or Chufa (Cypernx cxnden- 

 tus). A perennial sedge, spreading extensively by underground sto- 

 lons, which produce enormous numbers of edible tubers. In rich, 



