3()4 NKW (ili.VSSKS FOR 0]A) STATION'S. 



tigiitioii I liuvt! mcl with soiiu' (mIiI i-xiioriciu'o.s. 1 have us u riilo 

 roiiiitl tli(! opinion gononil tliut tlio wild <j;nussu.s fiiniisiuMl vulu- 

 iiltlt' imst.iirc and luiy. and still, with few t'.\('('j)tions, it lias been 

 very nearly irnpossihlc to ol»tain exact data as to what kind of 

 wild ^(nissi's were host, and what kindd were of most valine for 

 hay or pasture. Moreover, stranj^e as it may seem. tluM-e areas 

 yet scarcely any eommon mimes f(»r tln^se valnal)le wild },'ra8ses, 

 8o that it is almost impossible to speak intelligently of them 

 without having recourse to their scientifur names. 



*' It is not to lie reasonably (piostioned but that there may oe 

 as vahniblo wild grasses whi(;h have not yet been brought under 

 cultivation, as the/e are aln^ady grown on our farms. It must 

 be remembered that every grass whii-h Ave now grow was once 

 but a wild grass in some jiart of the world, and that by bringing 

 them under cultivation we have in every case increased their 

 valuable qualities, as well as productiveness." 



In Scii'inr, vol. 1, IS83, Prof. X. S. Shaler, referring to this 

 subject, says: '"It seems possible to improve this pasture by 

 the introduction of other forage plants indigenous to regions 

 having something like the same climate. The regions likely to 

 furnish plants calculated to flourish in a region of low rainfall 

 include a largo part of the earth's surface. Those that Avould 

 .succeed in Dakota are not likely to do well in Texas or Arizona. 

 For tho northern region, the uplands of northern Asia or Pata- 

 gonia are tho most promising flolds of search ; while for the mid- 

 dle and southern fields, tho valley of the La Plata, southeru 

 Africa, Australia, and the Algerian district may be looked to 

 for suitable species." He recommends three experiment sta- 

 tions, — one in Nebraska, one in Texas, and one in Arizona. 



In this connection, when wo remember that exotic plants often 

 thrive better than natives, we see what a vast field lies ready for 

 experimenting with tho grasses. As avo have seen, private en- 

 terprise has done little. Grasses look much alike to all who 



