Grains and Forage Crops 117 



to break up the dryer lands with the idea of establishing perennial 

 grasses upon them without irrigation. California pastures arc natur- 

 ally good. In early days they were wonderful, but they are re- 

 stricted to growth during the rainy season, or for a little time after 

 that, and are therefore suited for winter and spring pasturage, while 

 the summer feeding of stock, aside from dry feed, should be pro- 

 vided from other lands where water can be used. The improvement 

 of these wild pastures consists in a more intelligent policy for their 

 production and preservation rather than an effort to improve them 

 by the introduction of new plants. Pastures may, however, be often 

 improved by clearing ofT the brush and harrowing in seed of burr 

 clover, alfilaria, etc., at the beginning of the rainy season. 



Alfilaria and Winter Pasturage. 



Will alfilaria (Erodiuui cicutariuiii) grow tcr/i on the hills of Sonoma 

 county partially covered zvith shrubs? I zvant sonicthiiig that zuill be 

 food for stock another year. I have heard of alfilaria and that it grozcs 

 well without being irrigated. 



Alfilaria is a good winter-growing forage plant in places where 

 it accepts the situation. It is an annual and therefore does not make 

 permanent pasturage except where it may re-seed itself. On the 

 coming of the dry season it will speedily form seed and disappear. 

 It is therefore of no summer use under the conditions which you 

 describe, nor is it possible to secure any perennial grass which will 

 be satisfactory on dry hillsides without irrigation. Improved winter 

 pasturage can be secured by scattering seed of common rye at the 

 beginning of the rainy season, or of burr clover, both of which are 

 winter-growing plants. Pasturage is also capable of improvement 

 by being careful not to overstock the land, so that the native annuals 

 may be able to produce seed and provide for their own succession. 

 The secret of successful pasturage on dry uplands is to improve the 

 winter growth. It is too much to expect much of them for summer 

 growth without irrigation. 



Grasses for Bank-Holding. 



We desire a grass to be used on levees, to keep from zvashing. Ber- 

 muda or Johnson grass are dangerous to farming lands. What zve desire 

 is a grass that zuill grozv in good dirt zvith no zvatcr to support it during 

 most of the year, except the annual rainfall of Fresno county. Of course, 

 this grass will also have to endure a great deal of zvater during the flooded 

 scaso)i of the year. We have heard that the Italian rye grass zuould be 

 suitable. 



The rye grasses do not have running roots; therefore are not 

 calculated to bind soil particles together as Bermuda grass does. 

 If you want a binding grass, you must take the chances of its spread- 

 ing to adjacent lands. Of course, if you could get a sod of rye grass 

 it would prevent surface washing from overflow, etc., to a certain 



