58 



brous on the margins; the blade is prone to separate when old, leaving 

 an abundance of leafless sheaths at the base ■; the cauline leaves are 

 about two, short and pointed, 2 or 4 inches long ; the sheath scabrous, 

 the ligule short or wanting: the panicle is usually 3 to 5 inches long. 

 In Montana it is called the Great-hunch grass, and is one of the princi- 

 pal grasses of that country. It is the prevailing species on the foot- 

 hills and mountain slopes at from 6,000 to 7,000 feet altitude. It is 

 rather too hard a grass for sheep, but there is no grass more valued on the 

 summer ranges for cattle and horses. It makes excellent hay for horses, 

 and is cut in large quantities for this purpose. It grows in large tus- 

 socks, making it rather a difficult grass to mow with a machine. It is 

 one of the most important grasses of eastern Oregon and Washington. 

 (Plate 26.) 



Agropyrum glaucum (Blue-stem, blue-joint). 



This species prevails on the western plains from Texas to Montana, 

 and is well known to stockmen. It differs from the Agropyrum repens 

 in having a stouter, more rigid stem and leaves j the leaves, indeed, 

 often becoming involute and stiff. It is also of a light bluish- green color 

 The spike is generally shorter, denser, and with larger spikelets. 



Mr. Eichard Gaines, of Colorado Springs, Colo., says: 



Wo think this is the hest grass grown, superior to timothy or clover. We call it 

 Blue-stem, or Blue-joint; no richer hay can he made from anything known. 



Plate 27 is a figure of Agropyrum repens. 



Hordeum nodosum (Barley-grass). 



An annual or biennial grass, growing principally in alkaline soils and 

 on the borders of saline marshes, especially in the Western States and 

 Territories. Although eaten by cattle when in a young state, it can 

 not be claimed as of anything more than temporary value. The culms 

 are usually 1 to 1 J feet high, sometimes in moist places reaching 3 feet, 

 and varying as to smoothness or pubescence. 



The leaves are usually flat, 2 to 4 inches long, and about two lines 

 wide. The flowers are in a close cylindrical spike about 2 inches long, 

 with three spikelets at each joint of the rachis. (Plate 28.) 



Elymus condensatus (Giant rye-grass). 



This is a perennial grass, ranging from San Diego throughout Cali- 

 fornia and into Oregon and Washington Territory, also in the Rocky 

 Mountain region of the interior. It is very variable, but always a 

 strong, heavy-rooted, coarse grass, from 3 to 5 or even to 12 feet high. 



Mr. Bolauder states that it seems to do excellent service by fixing 

 the soil on the banks of creeks and rivers. In the larger forms the 

 culms are half an inch thick. The leaves are smooth, 2 feet long, and 

 an inch wide or more, and the panicle 8 to 14 inches long and 1J inches 

 thick. As it usually occurs in aiid grounds, it is from 3 to 6 feet high, 



