MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



239 



grazing, being short, fine and very nutritious. The principal 

 grass is known as Grama grass and, so far as the writer can see, 

 it differs but very slightly from the well-known Buffalo grass of 

 the states further east. There are several different kinds of Grama 

 grass, the Black Grama, the White Grama, or Tarbosa (a Spanish 

 name), and the Crowfoot Grama. Black Grama is the most nutri- 

 tious of all the range grasses, but does not come up very early in 

 the spring and will not stand overstocking as well as Tarbosa or 

 Crowfoot Grama. Tarbosa, or White Grama, is a very valuable 

 range grass, although it doesn't sprout very early in the spring; 



Fine Wool Sheep in New Mexico. 



it grows long after other kinds of grass have quit growing and 

 ace drying up during May and June. Crowfoot Grama is the most 

 valuable of all the range grasses for the sheepman, as it sprouts 

 very early in the spring, will stand a great deal of cold and is 

 also very nutritious. 



There is a new kind of grass starting in. parts of New Mexico 

 called Curly Mesquite. It only attains a growth of from four to 

 six inches in height, but is very nutritious, and, we have been told 

 by old Texas sheepmen that it is the best sheep grass known. It 

 grows in abundance in Texas. It is peculiarly well adapted to 

 this country, as it does not depend on seed to spread it, but has 

 runners something like a strawberry, and the runners send down 

 a sprout every few inches, consequently it quickly forms a thick 

 sod. 



