It may be noted that most of the species recommended are of foreign 

 rather than native origin. Some were brought over in colonial days 

 and are now so common that many think of them as natives. Several 

 factors have influenced the tendency to use introduced species. Many 

 of then were selected for domestication generations ago because of their 

 superior qualities, and were brought to this country for that reason. 

 They always had or have acquired (through selection and cultivation) 

 good seed habits, seedling vigor, tolerance to grazing, and other 

 characteristics that fit them for reseeding work. On the other hand, 

 many of our valuable native species are still in a wild state. 



Plant breeders and seed growers are making real progress in selecting 

 and standardizing top strains of several native species and in developing 

 seed sources for them. For example, certified seed of Sherman big blue- 

 grass, Primar slender wheatgrass, and Bromar mountain brome are now 

 commercially available, and an improved strain of sheep fescue (not yet 

 named) is expected to be in commercial production by about 1948 or '49. 

 These strains were developed through cooperative efforts of federal 

 agencies, state experiment stations, and the Soil Conservation Service 

 nurseries at Pullman, Washington. The same thing is being done with 

 other native and introduced species at several nurseries. 



Crested wheatgrass (Agronyron cristatum) is a very hardy, deep-rooted, 

 long-lived, bunchgrass introduced from Russia and Siberia about 1900. 

 It is medium sized and well adapted for either pasture or hay, commonly 

 producing from 1/2 to 1 ton of high quality hay on dry land in Montana. 

 It is our most successful species for reseeding typical abandoned farm 

 land and other dry sites on either heavy or light soil at moderate and 

 low elevations, but is surpassed by some other species at high elevations 

 and under good moisture conditions. Crested wheatgrass provides highly 

 nutritious green forage from early spring through early summer and 

 frequently greens up for fall grazing. It probably has its greatest 

 value when used in connection with native range to furnish early spring 

 grazing before the natives are fully ready, and late fall grazing after 

 they have dried up. The green spring and fall growth is highly 

 palatable to all classes of stock. 



Under favorable conditions, crested wheatgrass seeded in early April 

 has produced fine, robust stands with numerous heads in 5 or 6 months, 

 but when seeded in competition with cheatgrass it may be 2 or more years 

 before heads are produced. Once established on dry land and given 

 reasonable grazing management, it will last indefinitely and cheatgrass 

 and most weeds do not have a chance in it. Fields 20 or more years old 

 in Montana have been reported in good thrifty condition. 



Crested wheatgrass has very good seed habits, and adequate quantities 

 of seed are available at reasonable prices. It handles well through 

 most seeding equipment if clean and well threshed. There are about 

 200,000 seeds per pound and, if properly stored, it keeps well for 5 

 or more years. Both germination and purity of good commercial seed 

 should range above 90 percent. 



-29- 



