NATIVE PASTURE GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 47 



SPOROBOLUS GRACILIS (Trin.) Merrill. 



Sporobolus gracilis is a tough, wiry species to which some have applied the name 

 rush-grass. Indeed, it resembles in texture some of the wiry rushes and produces a 

 feed not unlike them in texture. So far as our experience goes, it is not a grass rel- 

 ished by stock. It inhabits dry, sandy areas from Virginia southward. It is espe- 

 cially common in open pine woods. 



No. 8731 was collected at Sutherland, Fla., June 14, 1907. The sample was col- 

 lected in full blossom by being cut close to the ground. Its percentage of moisture 

 was 6.55. Other constituents (on a water-free basis) were as follows: Ash, 3.43; ether 

 extract, 2.05; crude fiber, 35.35; nitrogen-free extract, 53.88; protein, 5.29; pento- 

 sans, 30.29. 



SPOROBOLUS NEALLEYI Vasey. 



Nealley's rush-grass is a hard, wiry species, inhabiting the gypsum soils of western 

 Texas and eastern New Mexico. It and Bouteloua breviseta grow thriftily upon stable 

 "gyp" soils, containing as high as 95 per cent of calcium sulphate. It is of value 

 only because it is one of the few grasses which will grow in such situations and so 

 produce a forage crop where otherwise none would be possible. 



No. 7099 (E. 0. W.) was collected upon the white sands west of Alamogordo, N. Mex. ? 

 October 21, 1912. Its percentage of moisture was 6.16. Other constituents (on a 

 water-free basis) were as follows: Ash, 9.27; ether extract, 1.61; crude fiber, 36.26; 

 nitrogen-free extract. 43.60; protein, 9.26; pentosans, 21.79. 



SPOROBOLUS RAMULOSUS Eunth. 



Sporobolus ramulosus is one of the annual species of drop-seeded grass of very little 

 value, although it is grazed to some extent by sheep. It grows only in loose tem- 

 porary sand washes and depressions. It is small, light, delicate, and not of much 

 value. 



No. 9538 was collected at Prescott, Ariz., September 1, 1908. Its percentage of 

 moisture was 6.88. Other constituents (on a water-free basis) were as follows: Ash, 

 7.35; ether extract, 2.22; crude fiber, 30.56; nitrogen-free extract, 50.08; protein, 

 9.79; pentosans, 23.93. 



SPOROBOLUS STRICTUS (Scribn.) Merrill. 



Although rather tough and hard, Sporobolus strictus is a very important pasture 

 grass in many of the sandy regions of Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas. It is 

 well adapted to dry, sandy soils, where it grows scatteringly to a height of 2 to 2\ 

 feet, producing for the region a large quantity of apparently nutritious feed. It is 

 readily grazed by stock, and where close pasturing occurs it is invariably closely 

 cropped. 



No. 8947 was collected in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains, Ariz., Sep- 

 tember 24, 1907. The sample, although green, had fully matured its seed. It was 

 a rank specimen and was cut 3 inches high. Its percentage of moisture was 7.14. 

 Other constituents (on a water-free basis) were as follows: Ash, 6.87; ether extract, 

 1.13; crude fiber, 35.42; nitrogen-free extract, 50.93; protein, 5.65; pentosans, 21.59. 



SPOROBOLUS VIRGINICUS (L.) Kunth. 



Sporobolus virginicus is a familiar grass of the Southern States that grows mostly in 

 medium-sized bunches and propagates by running rootstocks. Like most species of 

 this genus, it is tough and wiry, but it appears to be quite extensively grazed where 

 the specimen was collected. It is of especial interest, inasmuch as it secretes a salty 

 substance with which the entire vegetative portion may be covered, much like 

 Distichlis spicata, Leptochloa viscida, and some other western grasses. 



No. 8732 was collected at Sutherland, Fla., June 14, 1907. The sample was col- 

 lected when the plant was in full blossom, and was harvested close to the ground. 

 Its percentage of moisture was 8.46. Other constituents (on a water-free basis) were 

 as follows: Ash, 13.27; ether extract, 2.28; crude fiber, 29.41; nitrogen-free extract, 

 46.44; protein, 8.60; pentosans, 25.88. 



