11 



Sufficient time has not yet elapsed to determine what will be the ulti- 

 mate success of general agriculture in this section, but there can be no 

 doubt that the country is eminently adapted to pastoral uses, and the 

 settlers would do well to bestow their attention largely on stock-raising 

 and dairying. But it is evident that in order to make this business 

 profitable for small farmers or men of limited acres, some means must 

 be devised for securing an increased production of grass upon the land. 

 This is the present most important problem for the arid districts. It is 

 asserted that the commonly cultivated grasses will not be successful in 

 these arid lands except where irrigation can be applied. The native 

 grasses of the region, which are mostly " buffalo grass " and " grama 

 grass," are acknowledged to be very nutritious, but the yield is so lignt 

 as to require a large area for cattle to range over to obtain support. 

 The inquiry naturally occurs, " Can not some grasses be obtained wnich 

 will not only endure the aridity of the climate, but also make a more 

 vigorous growth and a more abundant production V 



It may be safely laid down as a principle that no great improvement 

 in this respect can be expected without a cultivation of the soil. With 

 this even the buffalo and grama grasses may be expected to double 

 their production. 



Theinquiry is sometimes made, " Which of our native grasses might be 

 reasonably expected to be adapted to cultivation in the said region ! w 



W r e have already stated that the " buffalo grass" (Buchloe dactyloides) 

 and " grama grass" (Bouteloua oligostachya) were the prevailing na- 

 tive species on the prairie or upland districts. But there are others 

 which deserve consideration, and some of them may be found to pos" 

 sess the qualities desired. 



Andropogon provincialis, commonly called blue-joint, is a grass of 

 wide range, being found from Massachusetts to Texas, and to the Eocky 

 Mountain region. It is also, sometimes, but improperly, called ''blue- 

 stem" and "blue-grass." Even the name " blue-joint" is inappropriate, 

 for the joints are rarely if ever blue, and the most conspicuous color about 

 the grass is its purplish top, by which it may be distinguished at a 

 great distance. It commonly grows from 4 to G feet high, rather 

 sparsely on the ground, but with an abundance of long leaves, so that it 

 produces a large crop of hay. It was formerly plentiful on the prai- 

 ries of Illinois and Iowa, and still occurs largely in most of the states 

 west of the Mississippi, and is universally esteemed and cut for hay in 

 its wild state. It thrives best on rich bottom-land, not too moist nor 

 too dry, but is capable of considerable variety in that respect. It is 

 well known all over Kansas, being abundant in the eastern part of the 

 state, and the general testimony is that it has been spreading westward 

 since the settlement of the country, and its extension in the West is 

 always regarded with pleasure. It starts growth late in the season, 

 and is chiefly valuable for summer and fall grazing, and for hay-mak- 

 ing. It is said that close pasturing for a few years kills it out 



