RUSSIAN BROME GRASS. 171 



seed began there as early as 1890, and was continued for 

 a number of years, with the result that it is now quite 

 generally grown over the Canadian Northwest. 



While the first introduction of Russian brome grass 

 into America is to be credited to California, the fact 

 remains, nevertheless, that the first general seed distri- 

 bution of the grass over large areas is to be credited to 

 Canada. It was in that country that it was first exten- 

 sively tried. There also the seed was first grown for the 

 seed trade in America, and it was from that Qountry 

 the seed merchants of the United States first obtained 

 supplies of American grown seed. Moreover, the at- 

 tention of the American public was largely drawn to its 

 merits through the many references made to it in Cana- 

 dian publications. Of all the foreign grasses intro- 

 duced into America during recent decades, this grass 

 .promises to be the most generally useful. Until within 

 the past few years. nearly all the seed sown has been 

 imported from Europe and Asia. But now much seed 

 is being grown not only in the Canadian Northwest but 

 also in certain of the northwestern states of the Union. 



This grass will grow better where moisture is abun- 

 dant and the temperature moderate than under condi- 

 tions the opposite ; but it has at the same time, unusual 

 power to successfully withstand cold and drought. 

 When once established, temperatures, howsoever low, do 

 not seem to destroy it. Eeference has already been 

 made to its great drought resisting qualities, but its 

 value as a drought resisting grass lies more in its ability 

 to live under dry conditions than to grow under the 

 same. It keeps alive under conditions that would de- 



