GRAJ ' T IHI1AE 



E. ourvulr it door not prove its superiority on the range. The 

 excellent root system and the tendency of E. Ichmanniam to re- 

 main dormant during the very dry spring months, may make it more 

 sturdy .and drought resistant in our dry climate. It grows rapidly 

 in the summer and produces a seed crop early enough to assure a 

 second crop after the first is cut and harvested. This grass is 

 being tried on the range on sites similar to those used for 

 E. curvula. 



*B ragr ostio chloromelas, Seed of a third eaotic perennial 

 Eragrostis from "South Africa "was received at the same time the seed 

 of E. le-hmanniana was received. In growth habit it is between the 

 two just discussed. It is a handsome grass which can be depended 

 upon to produce tvo crops of seed a season. It is being tried 

 along with the others on the open range and further reports on it 

 can bo o repeated. The above determination may be revised later, 



Eragrostis brizantha. This eaotic from South Africa is 

 coarse and' spreading but it not stolonif erous. It is probably much 

 inferior to Lh^ lehm ann ia'na for our purposes. 



Eragrostis obtusif lora, Stolonif erous Love Grass. In our 

 region this is a relatively rare grass. At any rate it is but 

 slightly known to /*ur personnel. Where it grows near V'illcox, 

 Arizona, however, it is abundant and forms pure stands. It is re- 

 ported, from southwestern New Mexico also. It is harsh to the touch, 

 has very stiff, sharp-pointed leaves, and forms long rhizomes and 

 stolons. The flats on which it grows are strongly alkaline and very 

 wet for short seasons but the ground, soon becomes dry and very hard 

 and baked. For sites of this kind this grass is probably superior 

 to Distichlis, In spite of its harshness this grass is quite heavily 

 grazed at times according to reports. 



Wo have only a small experimental olot of this at present 

 and no seed has been collected. Its characteristics are so out- 

 standing, however, that it seemed well to discuss it briefly. 



♦Pestuca arizonica, Arizona fescue. At present our program 

 of erosion control takes us into higher altitudes very little, 

 first, because the erosion problem, there is not usually so acute 

 and second, because this work is usually within the boundaries of 

 the Hational forests and they assume the duties of soil conserva- 

 tion there. Perhaps, however, a few of the grasses which arc note- 

 worthy erosion control agents at higher altitudes should be men- 

 tioned. One of the most important of these in the pine timber and 

 in the upland parks, it the Arizona Fescue, It is a grass which 



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