CESAlilMEAE 



* Bouteloua gra cilis , Blue Grama, is probably suited to a voider 

 range of conditions in the Southwest than any other grass. It is a 

 grass, however, that has suffered severely fro:: overgrazing and from 

 ill-advised attempts at dry land faming. Our conditions in these 

 respects are no different from those in eastern Colorado, Kansas and 

 Nebraska. There are vd.de stretches of country in eastern New Ilexico, 

 formerly in Blue Grama, which have been plowed and later abandoned, 

 the land coming up to annual weeds such as Mussian Thistle. On the 

 overgrazed areas the common weed coming in the wake of the grass is 

 one of several species of Turpentine h'eed (Gutierrezia) . These are 

 variously reported as being acceptable browse to being seriously 

 poisonous. It is certain that in some sections stock poisoning 

 occurs when there is practically nothing on the range but the tur- 

 pentine bush. Available moisture seems to play a very important 

 part in the behavior of the turpentine bush and the Blue Grama. In 

 1934 the drought was so severe in southern Hew I'exico that the tur- 

 pentine bush came on by the thousands. It seems likely that the 

 grass on a properly managed range would take advantage of a situa- 

 tion like this as the small seedlings can but poorly compete with 

 the grass. One thing is certain, the grass is better equipped to 

 withstand drought than most of the accompanying vegetation. 



Dr. E. If, Hardies, Assistant Agronomist at our nursery at 

 Pima, Arizona, is growing Blue- Grama from several localities. There 

 is a great variation in the species and doubtless some forms with- 

 stand, extreme abuse better than others. For example, we have one 

 strain from the vest slope of the Iluachucas which withstood the 

 trampling of stock - , turkeys and chickens in a barnyard. Nr. E, 

 Telford, laanager of the Boil Conservation Service Nursery at 

 Colorado Springs, Colorado, has a clump in his nursery that is 

 strongly rhizomatous • 



**hile this species is sufficiently abundant on the range 

 that it should not be necessary to grow it on the nursery for seed 

 production, it seems likely that choice ranges receiving some over- 

 flow should be selected and cared for to assure the production 

 each year of a high grade of seed. In the not distant future, also, 

 definite strains doubtless should bo grown to suit certain condit- 

 ions. To .ascertain the feasibility of growing this species for 

 seed production a five-acre plot has been planted at Chiprock, Hew 

 fexico* Blue Grama is not uncommon in southern New I'exico and in 

 southern Arizona. Under tho -ore severe drought conditions there, 

 however, it docs not survive overgrazing as well as it does further 



