2 CIRCULAR 328, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



land found to be unprofitable or unsatisfactory for the production of 

 cultivated crops. 



Most of the native grassland in this region, of which that in buffalo 

 grass constitutes an important part, was placed under cultivation 

 within the last half century (fig. 1). The sloping nature of thousands 

 of acres of this land soon rendered unprofitable the production of 

 cultivated crops. Recognizing the mistake made in plowing under 

 so much of the native grass, many acres were left out of cultivation, 

 hoping that the grass would become reestablished of its own accord. 



The time required for buffalo grass to renew its original virgin con- 

 dition on abandoned farm land was stated by Shantz 3 to range from 

 20 to 50 years. This is fully substantiated by recent observations of 

 abandoned fields in western Kansas. In very few instances and 

 only under the most favorable conditions has a good turf of buffalo 

 grass been reestablished naturally in less than 20 years. Long after 







Figure 1.— Typical buffalo-grass prairie which has never been plowed. On left of fence is a closely grazed 

 pasture; on the right a golf course where the grass has been clipped frequently. 



land is taken out of cultivation the resultant vegetation is largely 

 composed of less desirable annuals and taller grasses, indicating even 

 to the casual observer that the area had once been cultivated (fig. 2) . 



DESCRIPTION OF BUFFALO GRASS 



BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS 



Buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.) is a long-lived 

 perennial, stoloniferous grass, generally dioecious but occasionally 

 monoecious, with flat, light-green leaves and flaglike inflorescence 

 (fig. 3). The writer has observed and collected many scattered 

 plants showing definite monoecious characters. The staminate- 

 flowered stems grow to a height of 3 to 6 inches, ascending slightly 



3 Shantz, H. L. natural vegetation as an indicator of the capabilities of land for crop pro- 

 duction in the great plains area. U.S.Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bull. 201, 100 pp., illus. 1911. 



