NATIVE PASTURE CJRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



37 



PHLEUM ALPINUM L. 



• Mountain timothy (Phlewm aljrinum), native to both hemispheres and to both the 

 North American and South American continents, resembles very closely the culti- 

 vated timothy. It can be easily distinguished, however, by its shorter, stouter 

 heads and smaller stature throughout. It usually inhabits the drier portions of moist 

 mountain meadows. Growing scatteringly among other grasses, it can not be consid- 

 ered as a forage plant of prime importance in these situations, because it is never 

 sufficiently abundant to impart its own character to the vegetation. So far asit goes, 

 however, it is probably as valuable as the common cultivated timothy, which is widely 

 introduced throughout the mountain ranges of this country, furnishing in many places 

 vastly more feed than this smaller native. 



No. 8845 was collected at Summit, Mont., August 15, 1907, when the upper florets 

 were in early maturity. It was cut 1 inch above the ground. 





Percent- 

 age of 

 moisture. 



Water-free basis (per cent). 



Material analyzed. 



Ash. 



Ether 

 extract. 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Nitrogen- 

 free 

 extract. 



Protein. 



Pento- 

 sans. 





6.51 



4.19 

 4.92 



2.50 



2.31 



32.55 

 32.15 



54.64 

 51.26 



6.12 

 9.36 



24.94 

















4.83 



2.33 



32.20 



51.69 



8.95 











i Colorado Bid. 12, p. 113. Nevada Bui. 62, p. 24. Wyoming: Bui. 70, p. 48; Bui. 76, p. 50; Bui. 87, 

 p. 70. 



PHRAGMITES COMMUNIS Trin. 



Phragmites communis, commonly distributed in the United States, and indeed 

 throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere, is a characteristic species of reedlike grass, 

 inhabiting marshes and edges of ponds and streams. It is not Usually considered 

 much of a forage plant, but in closely grazed regions it is frequently resorted to in 

 times of scarcity and furnishes really a great deal of supplemental feed. In some 

 situations, where the soils are wet in spring and dry in midsummer, the grass is cut 

 for hay and makes a fair quality of very coarse roughage. 



No. 8808 was collected at Fargo, N. Dak., August 10, 1907. The specimen was in 

 full blossom and was cut 1 foot high. 





Percent- 

 age of 

 moisture. 



Water-free basis (per cent). 



Material analyzed. 



Ash. 



Ether 

 extract. 



Crude 

 fiber. 



Nitrogen- 

 free 

 extract. 



Protein. 



Pento- 

 sans. 



Our sample No. 8808 



5.27 



8.48 

 7.14 



2.97 



2.87 



32.91 

 39.02 



46.93 



41.86 



8.71 

 9.11 



24.70 













Average of both 





7.80 



2.92 



35.97 



44.40 



8.91 











i South Dakota Bui. 40, p. 106. 

 PLEURAPHIS MUTICA Buckl. 



Pleuraphis mutica is the galleta of the southwestern United States and is in many 

 respects a very valuable species. Like the closely related tabosa (Hilaria jamesii) 

 of regions a little farther north, it comes into prominence during seasons of excessive 

 drought. It is peculiarly adapted to shallow swales, which catch or retard a portion 



