222 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



such conditions excellent crops of hay are cut and where 

 the grass is well known it has long borne a reputation for 

 horse feed equal to that of timothy. In Texas the bottoms 

 of shallow desiccated ponds are often covered with a pure 

 growth of this grass. In parts of Montana it is only 

 necessary to irrigate the land in order to secure a good 

 stand of western wheat-grass. After several mowings 

 the grass seems to become sod bound, so that rejuvenation 

 by disking is necessary. 



Attempts to domesticate this grass have thus far not 

 resulted satisfactorily, mainly because the seed is poor in 

 quality even when gathered with the utmost care. While 

 this grass possesses creeping rootstocks, it has never been 

 reported troublesome as a weed. Its excellent qualities 

 make it worthy of further efforts at domestication. 



