GRAMDTEAE 



Elymus gigantea. Under nursery conditions this grows very 

 much like cat-tails in swamps, having heavy culms and coarse leaves. 

 Its forage value is probably low but its heavy rhizomatous roots 

 suggest it as a good erosion control plant. It is a native of 

 Siberia and has been grown in this country as an ornamental only. 



*Elymus sabulosus. One of the most vigorous and tenacious 

 soil binders we have under cultivation is this exotic rye grass. 

 The roots spread ran idly and sprout abundantly. The blades are 

 light green, coarse and harsh, and the stems are stout. The grass 

 requires very little irrigation and where sand piles among the culms 

 the growth becomes more vigorous. This has not yet been tried on 

 the range and no feeding experiments have been conducted, 



Elyonu rus barbiculmis. In the extreme southwest are to be 

 found some grasses which have their maximum, development in T'exico 

 and which arc little known to the usual agrostologist in the south- 

 west. One of those is Elyon urus barbiculmis . It is a rather 

 coarse grass l\ to 2 ; <- feet high with a dense mass of perennial 

 roots, along the Mexican line from the south end of the Huachuca 

 Mountains to the region south of Rubv, Arizona, this is in places 

 an important part of the grass cover and of the available forage. 

 It occurs also in southwestern Texas. Up to the present we have not 

 tried this in the nurseries. Indications in the field are that it 

 should be hardy far north of its present range. This is assumed 

 from the fact that it grows at altitudes which are cold in winter. 



*Distichlis stricta, Desert Salt Grass, also often called 

 Alkali grass, is extremely widely distributor, throughout the west 

 and Mexico. It is a moisture and alkali lover, being confined to 

 moist alkali meadows • It is a short grass with very sharp leaves 

 and short spikes. It has largo, often very long rhizomes. For 

 this reason it constitutes an excellent soil binder. Y»hcrever the 

 water table is lowered, however, the grass soon disappears because 

 of water shortage. It is probably of much greater value for for- 

 age than is generally thought. Cattle and horses at certain sea- 

 sons of the year are soon, feeding on It in great numbers. Its 

 palatability, however, is usually considered low. 



Echinochloa colonum, 'Jungle dice. Throughout the south this 

 grass grows as a weed on waste land and in gardens and cultivated 

 land. It is v?r r common In the nursery at Tucson. In habit it is 

 almost prostrate, and can readily be recognized by the rather broad 

 leaves which are cros alined, with, purple. It is an annual, and may 

 have some value for erosion control as a ground cover on wasteland 

 where there is som.G overflow. It is not sufficient!" abundant to 



