no Muhlenbergia, Volume 5 



region. By roadsides and in waste places, in pastures and in 

 cultivated fields, on dry mesas and hillsides, these pestiferous 

 grasses abound. Both species are equally abundant, but they 

 seldom grow intermixed, the one which first obtains a foothold 

 appearing able to hold the ground against its companion, as well 

 as against other vegetation. B. rubens, while attaining a more 

 luxuriant growth in better soils, adapts itself also to those of the 

 most sterile character. Dry and hard clay hillsides it coats with 

 a close felt-like covering an inch or two high, that completely 

 chokes out the native spring annuals that were their former oc- 

 cupants. On the other hand, neither species succeeds in perma- 

 nently damp soil. Both are nearly valueless for forage, as ani- 

 mals will eat only the youngest growth, and both are injurious 

 in hay, notably B. maximus, by reason of its greater height and 

 long stiff awns. This species is locally known as "Broncho 

 grass," and is believed to have here been introduced from Texas 

 in seed oats, an erroneous opinion, since it is not known in that 

 state. Both species have reached the borders of the deserts, 

 being found sparingly at Palm Springs and near Hesperia. 



In 1895 soft chess was observed growing in considerable 

 quantity along the Southern Pacific railway as far east as Ro- 

 chester, having been unknown in this region previous to that 

 date. Its spread has been rapid, and it can now be found abund- 

 antly in waste places, pastures, cultivated grounds, and by road- 

 sides throughout San Bernardino valley, but has not as yet made 

 its appearance in the undisturbed soils of the mesas and hills. 

 It has, perhaps, less adaptability to arid conditions than the pre- 

 viously mentioned species. It is also less objectionable than 

 they, but has little or no forage value, although it has been rec- 

 ommended (1) for cultivation on thin sandy land where better 

 grasses will not succeed. Our form of soft chess is mostly Bro- 

 »ut\ hordeaceus var. intermedius Shear, Bull Div. Agrost. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. 23: 19. The species itself is rare. 



Hi mints hordeaceus is a native of Europe, now very widely 

 distributed over the northern states of the Union, but apparently 

 rarely abundant. I find no notice of its occurrence south of 

 Virginia. It must be of comparatively recent introduction. 



