86 NATIVK (SRASSES OF THE PACIFIC SLOPE. 



by miiuu's iind Mt'.\i(!ans '• SiicriitoiR'," though I suppose it 

 hegan witli ii " Z." 'I'ho luuiio was apjdii'd fo Sjmi'oboUiH 

 WriijIiHi iiiid siniihir species. Tliis aud oiU! other are all the 

 names ill use amoiij^ the Mexicans to distinguish the shorter, 

 softer grasses of the mesas. 



Hevond the cereals, luttaldv hariev most extensively sown for 

 hay, the agricultural grasses are scarcely employed in California 

 agriculture. 



Where pernuinent ])asturage ami hay is wanted, and where it is 

 ])ossible to securi' and maintain this by irrigation. Alfalfa (Mn/i- 

 €(((/() .safira) i '. ( iiijiloyiMl almost exclusively. I saw ])iit a very 

 few fields < f 'i'iinothy, and those were eontined to tlu^ higher 

 valleys that could be irrigated l>y mountain s]>rings. in winter 

 und early spring the hills and plains are green with a s])ecies of 

 Crane's-bill {Erodium), called by the Spaniards " Altilerilla.'" 

 Formerly Avena fat ua covered the hills and valleys of Califor- 

 nia, but it has been reduced in extent by shee]). 



The native grasses contribute but an insigniticant 2>ortion 

 toward the maintenance of the flocks and herds of California. 

 On the open ranges, cattle scour largo areas, browsing upon 

 every green thing that is not too repellant or too repulsive. 



Aira {DoscJiamjtsia) danthonioules oiTers, on damp mesas, etc., 

 patches of fine, soft herbage, which is eaten with avidity by 

 animals. 



Deyeuxia Alentica, growing in dense tufts on the northern 

 coast and adjacent hills, is often sufficiently abundant to be of 

 importance in pasturage ; although it is a coarse grass, cattle eat 

 it readily. 



Deyeuxia Bolanderi, sparingly scattered through damp forests, 

 with Hierochloa niacrophylla and Phalaris amethystina (these 

 observed at Mendocino) are most tender and palatable, but are of 

 very slight amount. 



Deyeuxia rubescens, a hard grass, grows in small, scattered 



