GTl-Y'BT&'vE 



*B out oloua ourti gpad ula , Side Oats Grama, is one of our most 

 widely distributed grama grasses but it seldom fons pure stands of 

 large extent, being usually nixed with other grasses such as the 

 Blue, Rothrock or Spruce gramas* It is excellent forage and with- 

 stands grazing fairly well. It is one of our best from the stand- 

 point of seed gemination and case of production in the nursery. In 

 order to avoid the necessity of travel and the expense of hand- 

 stripping we have planted seventy-five acres in the nurseries* Since 

 this lends itself so well to cultivation we should look forward to 

 having farmers and ranchers produce our seed. 



*Bontoloua eriopoda, Black Grama, is •.•ore restricted in its 

 distribution than Blue Grama, It, however, forns pure stands over 

 wide areas almost throughout our range. In 1936 seed was collected 

 east of Dolor., Hew I'.'cxicc on the Jorn&do F.ange in southern Few rlexico 

 and northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. In 1337 seed collecting was 

 confined to the Flagstaff region. It has been stated tkv'c it requires 

 o. line coil but this is not always evident from casual observations. 

 For example, a luxurious stand was located in the foothills of the 

 Baboquivari mountains, a region largely composed of igneous rocks. 



Fhilo this grass is highly stoloniferous it does not with- 

 stand grazing as well as Blue Grama. The sites, however, indicate 

 that it is more drought-resistant. 



The Forest Service has had considerable success in transplant- 

 ing this species f re— one site- to another. The system they use is 

 called the Paper Bag method. By it a snail clump cr plant is lifted 

 on a shovel and placed at once in a i;o. G cr !7o. 10 Kraft paper bag, 

 top up, and the bag closed and placed in the bed of a truck. After 

 a loo.d or these bags has been obtained it is taken to the pln.nti.ng 

 ground and planted at once. Ir planting, a shovel is pushed into 

 the ground and forced to one side to open up a hole. Into this the 

 entire paper bag is pushed and the soil packed against it. As it 

 is left in the field the top of the bag is open and protrudes 

 slightly above-ground. This scorns to protect th< young plant fror. 

 the drying wind and fro:" rodents and insects. 



Commonly it is much more difficult to obtain, good seed of 

 Black Grama than of Blue, and the grain in the former not infrequent- 

 ly fails to form. It is hoped that we may get satisfactory results 

 on our increase plots at ATbuquerqu;' and Pima, -five acres at the 

 former and ten acres at the latter place. ..e should be able to as- 

 certain whether it is feasible to propagate it for seed production. 



