Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina) is a rather well known native bunchgrass. 

 Work at this station has been mainly with a special strain selected and 

 developed by the Soil Conservation Service at Pullman, Washington. This 

 strain is larger than the ordinary sheep fescue, having leaves G to 12 

 inches long and heading up to 2 feet or more. It has been one of the 

 most successful species in experimental plots in Judith Basin County, 

 at Thompson Falls, the Vigilante Experimental Range (both at 6,200 and 

 9,300 feet elevation), and in the Bitterroot Valley. The strain is being 

 standardized at Pullman in preparation for certification and subsequent 

 release, and it should be in production by 1943 or 1949. Ordinary sheep 

 fescue seed is available from some Washington and Oregon dealers at 

 this time. There are about 565,000 seeds per pound. 



1 lak alfalfa (I.ledicago sativa) is a high yielding, deep-rooted, hardy 

 alfalfa which was introduced from India by the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 and then developed by selection at Redfield, South Dakota. It is more 

 resistant to bacterial wilt than the Grimm variety, but otherwise seems 

 to have much the same adaptation. It has done very well on fairly good 

 abandoned land near Miles City and on average abandoned land in the 

 Judith Basin vicinity where it was seeded with crested wheat grass* 

 There is still some question as to how well any alfalfa is suited for 

 range reseeding and how well it will stand grazing. There is also some 

 danger of bleat connected with its use for grazing. Eut if alfalfa is 

 to be used on the range in Montana i La dak seems to be the most promising. 

 Eigh quality seed is available at reasonable prices. It should always 

 be inoculated before seeding. 



T imo t hy ( Phi e urn p r a t e n s e ) , one of the best known grasses in the northern 

 states, is a hardy, vigorous, deep-rooted, long-lived bunchgrass intro- 

 duced from Europe in colonial times. It is shade tolerant and well 

 adapted for seeding on moderate to good sites on mountain ranges from 

 low to high elevation. It is highly palatable and productive, and -with- 

 stands moderate grazing well. It reseeds itself readily, and under good 

 conditions the seedlings grow rapidly. Seed is available at low prices, 

 and there are more than 1^ million seeds per pound. It remains good for 

 6 years or more if stored properly. 



Big bluegrass (Poa ampla ) is a native perennial bunchgrass of medium 

 height. It has been given considerable attention at the Soil Conserva- 

 tion Service Nurseries at Pullman, Washington where several strains 

 have been selected. The outstanding strain, Sherman big bluegrass, has 

 been widely and successfully test-planted in the Pacific Northwest, the 

 Lite mountain Region, and Montana, but its ability to stand up under 

 grazing is not well established. It has done well on abandoned farm land 

 in western and central Montana and on skid trails in the upper Bitterroot 

 Valley. Investigations at Union, Oregon indicate that big bluegrass may 

 be more suitable as a hay than as a pasture grass (14). It is earlier 

 than crested wheatgrass and compares well in production, but good stands 

 have been harder to obtain. There are about 900,000 seeds per pound. 



-33- 



