4 BULLETIN 201, L T S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . 



DISCUSSION OF SPECIES. 



AGROPYRON SMITHH Rydb. 



Agropyron smithii is an important species, familiarly known as Colorado bluestem. 

 All in all, it is undoubtedly the most important native hay grass of the western Plains 

 region, extending into the mountains of northern Arizona. It is closely related to 

 the quack-grass of the cultivated East, to which its habits are very comparable ; like 

 quack-grass, it is benefited by partial cultivation. For this reason throughout the 

 Dakotas it is a familiar thing to see this species making a very decided increase in 

 growth in the edges of cultivated fields. Here it comes in contact with the undis- 

 turbed prairies, where it once grew in abundance, either pure or mixed with the 

 gramas and buffalo grass. In some situations, where water is available for irrigation, 

 especially along the eastern slope of the Black Hills of South Dakota, meadows have 

 been cut for 10 years, yielding an excellent quality of hay from this grass, to the extent 

 of 1^ tons to the acre. Although its seed habits are good and the seed production 

 abundant, it is seldom that it reproduces from seed under natural conditions, although 

 under cultivation it is readily grown in this way. Indeed, upon the native prairies 

 it is common for it not even to head out, seed production taking place only in favorable 

 years. Its reproduction is almost entirely by running rootstocks. In 1897 crops of it 

 were excellent throughout the Dakotas and Montana, many areas of uncultivated 

 lowland prairies having a perfect stand and resembling fields of grain more than native 

 hay. It certainly could be easily domesticated and might prove a valuable grass for 

 cultivation . It has already been extensively grown in small plats by the State experi- 

 ment stations and reports of it are generally favorable. 



No. 8810 was collected near Fargo, N. Dak., August 10, 1907. 





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. 8810 



7.88 



11.58 

 8.05 



2.32 



2.93 



32.27 

 34.41 



43.73 

 44.98 



10.10 

 9.63 



24.13 

















8.23 



2.90 



34.30 



44.92 



9.65 











i Canada Central Experiment Farm Bui. 19, pp. 28, 32. Colorado Bui. 12, p. 130. Iowa: Bui. 11 p. 

 464; Bui. 56, p. 465. Montana Report, 1902, p. 66. South Dakota: Bui. 40, p. 150; Bui. 114, p. 551. Wyo- 

 ming: Bui. 65, pp. 10, 11; Bui. 70, pp. 11; Bui. 76, p. 11; Bui. 87, p. 14. 



AGROPYRON SPICATUM (Pursh) Rydb. 



Agropyron spicatum is the famous "bunch-grass" of the Columbia Basin, and in 

 many sections of that general region it covers the ground in big bunches. When un- 

 disturbed it often resembles a field of grain at a distance. Considerable work has 

 been done by the Department of Agriculture and some of the State experiment 

 stations in securing seed of this native species and attempting to introduce it in other 

 situations, but with indifferent success. The difficulty has been largely one of germi- 

 nating the seed. The regions in which it grows are somewhat arid, and the plant in 

 its natural habitat is accustomed to get along without the use of seeds; in other words, 

 it is perennial and seldom has occasion to renew from seed. Under favorable con- 

 ditions of cultivation it reproduces readily. On account of greater ease in handling, 

 selections from the awnless forms are best adapted to cultivation. 



No. 8850 was collected near Summit, Mont. , August 15, 1907 . The sample represents 

 the plant when the seed is in the early milk. It was cut 3 inches from the ground. 



