GRASS AND HAY 147 



spread along the Gulf westward into Texas. It is a succulent, creep- 

 ing, prostrate plant, chiefly valued as a renovator of sandy fields on 

 the coast. According to some it is a valuable pasture plant, while 

 others affirm that neither cattle nor horses will eat it. On rich lands 

 it can be cut, making a nutritious and palatable hay, which is readily 

 eaten by all kinds of stock. Milk Pea (Galactia volubilis.) A low 

 plant with stems and leaves soft and downy ; it is of some value as a 

 summer forage in the Eastern United States. Miller Bean (Galactia 

 cancsccns). A perennial legume from the Mogollon Mountains in 

 New Mexico. It has the vetch habit of growth, has been grown to a 

 limited extent in cultivation, and is one of the most promising of 

 the native arid-land forage plants. The yield of both seeds and 

 foliage increases remarkably under favorable conditions, and the 

 stout, woody root enables the plant to withstand the longest drought. 

 Modiola (Modiola decumbens). This is a prostrate, creeping, weedy, 

 annual mallow, introduced into portions of California, and is recom- 

 mended by the California Experiment Station as an alkali plant. 

 Analyses made of it show that it contains almost as much crude pro- 

 tein as alfalfa. Sheep and cattle are fond of it, and eat it down close- 

 ly. Because it roots freely at the joints, it is, like purslane, difficult to 

 eradicate, and should be introduced with some caution. Montana 

 Bush Pea (Thermopsia montana) . A stout perennial herb native of 

 the Rocky Mountains. It is considered by some one of the best forage 

 plants on the ranges, others claim that it is not relished by cattle, 

 and may be poisonous ; the hay is readily eaten by stock if cut before 

 the stems become woody. Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betu- 

 leafolius) . A small tree or shrub occurring in the southern Rocky 

 Mountain regions; the twigs and leaves are browsed by cattle. 

 Mountain Pea (Themopsia millis). A perennial legume, native of 

 the mountains of southern Virginia and North Carolina ; it is readily 

 eaten by stock. Mountain Red Clover (Trifolium megacephalum) . 

 This wild clover grows in the mountains from Montana to Califor- 

 nia. It is distinguished from red clover in having unbranched stems 

 about a foot high, and wedge-shaped five to seven-parted leaves 

 which nearly all rise from the base of the stalks. The terminal 

 flower head is about l 1 /^ inches long. It is one of the best native 

 pasture plants of the West. Myrtle-leafed Vetch (Lathyrus myrti- 

 jolius). A vetch in western Oregon and Washington; the forage 

 is eaten by cattle. 



Narrow-fruited Sedge (Carex sychnocephala) . A slender, 

 erect, perennial sedge growing in boggy places along streams and 

 lakes in the Upper Missouri prairie region ; it adds considerable value 

 to the early pastures. Nelson's Saltbush (Atriplex pabularis). A 

 rapidly growing perennial which puts out a great many stems from 

 the roots each year; it has only been collected in Wyoming on saline 

 flats along the creeks and in the dry beds of alkali basins. Cattle 

 and sheep relish the herbage. Nevada Clover (Trifolium triden- 

 tatum). A wild clover, occurring in Nevada and Utah, which sup- 

 plies palatable and nutritious forage in early summer, and is greedily 

 eaten by cattle. The Western and Paicific coast States are very rich 



