38 



seen in great profusion when I visited the same region in September, 

 Southward from Musquis we rode to Murphyville, and spent two days 

 in the neighborhood. At that time of the year, early in July, the sur- 

 rounding hills looked indeed desolate and barren. I deferred making 

 observations in any of these western regions until a month or two later, 

 for then the rains of August and September would give a cheerful as- 

 pect to the face of nature. While passing through on the train from 

 Murphyville to El Paso, nature presented all along the route the same 

 dreary aspect— no grass on the hills and mesas, or on the prairies. But 

 in some places the numerous shrubs and yuccas gave a charm to the 

 landscape. 



While in El Paso, three weeks in July and most of August, I saw no 

 grass on the surrounding hills. The system of irrigation, here as else- 

 where, brought forth a luxuriant growth of grass and other plants 

 along the irrigating ditches and in the gardens. Among the grasses 

 growing in the park at ElPaso were fine specimens of Timothy (PMeum 

 pratense). Bed-top (Agrostis vulgaris) and Eye grass (Lolium perennc) ; 

 These were mixed with such grasses as are frequent on cultivated land 

 in the Gulf States, Cynodon dactylon, Sorghum halepen-se, and Pani- 

 cum sanguinale. It is worthy of note (as illustrating the value of the 

 Grama-grasses in the summer), that several loads of hay were hauled 

 in July into El Paso — grama hay it was called — cut in the mountain 

 region, 10 miles north of the town. In the latter part of August the 

 rainy weather caused a fresh start to the vegetation, and the green 

 shoots springing up, gave quite a spring-like appearance to the land- 

 scape. 



In journeying from El Paso eastward there could every where be seen 

 the reviving vegetation. At Marfa a very cheerful view was presented, 

 with the surrounding country favored with a carpet of green grass and 

 other herbage. At Fort Davis and the neighboring regions plant-life 

 had started forth in great profusion. At every point the green grasses 

 appeared— on the flats, in the swampy places, on the high prairies^ on 

 the craggy mountain sides, on the narrow shelves at the sides of the steep 

 cliffs. About the middle of September I went over to Medero Creek, 

 30 miles south of Marfa. Here I found several of the gramas in abund- 

 ance, though not spread over the surface to the extent that they were 

 near Maria and other places. But I collected in this region, on the hills 

 and mesas, and near the sides of the creek, several grasses that I saw 

 nowhere else. I have noted them in the appended list. Though many 

 of the grasses have an extended range, certain species seem to be par- 

 tial to one or two localities. Such sections might be characterized by 

 certain grasses whose narrow range renders them, in their favorite 

 haunts, a prominent feature of the vegetation. 



On the last day of September I started, with a young man and team, 

 from Marfa towards the Staked Plains. Part of our route was through 

 Limpia Canon, north of Fort Davis, and the contrast in the aspects of 



