8 
Wild-rye, and Spiked Muhlenberg's-grass. Along the artesian well drain at Iroquois 
Sporobolus asperifolius, Salt-grass, Western Wheat-grass, Wild-rye, Switch-grass, 
Cord-grass, Tall Grama, and very large 5 of Barnyard- grass abound. Blue 
Grama and Buffalo-grass are common on the prair 
From Iroquois south to Vilas there is no ea difference in the flor 
From Vilas I went westward through Miner and Sanborn counties, and es north- 
western Aurora County. Near Artesian City, in Miner County, I crossed a large 
“Gumbo flat,” on which little grew except Salt-grass, Saltbushes, a Western Sea- 
blight bs depressa). At Artesian City water is obtained at than 100 feet, 
and the wells have been flowing for eight or nine years. The ie dies prairie grasses 
were common, and Seco ice etes erucaformis), was beginning to appear 
in the ditelics- and pon 
From Artesian City ies the country grows drier and drier, except a strip of 
10 or 12 miles on each side of the James River. Where I crossed the river near For- 
d 
pasture was composed of native grasses. Big Sand-grass, Switch 
Tall 8 Blue Grama, Western 5 iod Wild Vetch ( Hosackia purshiana) 
grew in large quantities, but had all been fed close to the ground. The only plants 
which did not seem to have been eaten were Cleome integrifolia and several species 
of Golden Rod. There were acres of the Cleome, and the masses of rose purple 
flowers were a beautiful sight. 
At Woonsocket several large artesian ponds had been drained and the vegetation 
cut for hay, but it did not seem to be of much value, as it was largely made up of 
species of Eb Eleocharis, and Scirpus. Barnyard-grass made the most valuable 
part of the ha 
At Letcher there were several large ponds fed by the artesian well. On the 
margins of these ponds were growing Reed-grass, Slough-grass, Barnyard- > 
Switch-grass, Long-leafed Prairie-grass, Cord-grass, and sparingly, Rice Cut-grass 
nen oryzoides). 
From Letcher westward Long-leafed Prairie-grass, Southern Poverty-grass, Sporo- 
bolus brevifolius, and S. eryptandrus became more and more common. uffalo-gra 
grew in considerable quantity; Wild Crab-grass was occasionally seen, and also the 
low-growing Cacti (Mamillaria vivipara ; M. missouriensis, and Opuntia fragilis). 
The grasses seemed to gradually diésessk æ size, and a relatively larger amount o 
seed was produced by each species than farther eastward, although, owing to dry 
weather, much of the seed did not mature. 
Northern Aurora County is in the western part of the James River Valley close to 
the Wessington Hills, which divide the small streams flowing into the James River 
from those flowing into the Missouri. For nine or ten years the rainfall here has 
been scanty and much of the land has, to use the local expression, ““gone back,” 
i. e., been broken up and cultivated for two or three years, then deserted and allowed 
to grow up to grass and weeds. This would make better hay-land if the Russian 
inei is Gum Weed (Grindelia squarrosa) were not present i in such large ees 
The latter weed is spreading over the whole cou ntry, prairies, pastures, and 
all uncvitivxted land. The woody, sticky stems cause consi — trouble "m hay 
ing season, but are worst in the pastures, where the resinous exudation sticks to the 
faces of cattle, 3 and sheep, causing eyes and nostrils to become inflamed and 
sore. The plant has the one redeeming feature of being good to burn, and is being 
collected in considera quantity for winter fuel. 
Wessington have an elevation of two or three hundred feet above the 
surrounding coun i. There were formerly many small lakes among these hills, but 
ar re i 
Peta on violaceus, P. candidus, P. multiflorus, 
 Amorpha. canescens, A. Diets Passim arns P. esculenta, Astr. ragalus €— 
 earpus, A. plattensis, A. adsurgen. . racemosus, A. lotiflorus, A. missouriensis m 
adensis, Orytropis 5 Eros lepidola, eis such grasses as Big Blue-s 
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