. Bulletin. Gramineae -- United States; Forage plants -- United States. 53 pale color of the remaining grass vegetation. Often these areas may be found alternating with similar areas of the much paler buffalo-grass, and the checkerboard appearance thus given to the prairie is peculiarly strik- ing. Although primarily a pasture grass, blue grama, under favorable conditions of soil and moisture, makes a fine growth of leafage suffi- cient to afford a good yield of hay of a very flue quality. Under ordi- nary conditions, however, this grass cures so well on the ground that stockmen prefer to use
. Bulletin. Gramineae -- United States; Forage plants -- United States. 53 pale color of the remaining grass vegetation. Often these areas may be found alternating with similar areas of the much paler buffalo-grass, and the checkerboard appearance thus given to the prairie is peculiarly strik- ing. Although primarily a pasture grass, blue grama, under favorable conditions of soil and moisture, makes a fine growth of leafage suffi- cient to afford a good yield of hay of a very flue quality. Under ordi- nary conditions, however, this grass cures so well on the ground that stockmen prefer to use it for winter pasturage rather than go to the trouble of putting up the hay. Black grama [Bouteloua hirsuta) is much more local in distribution than blue grama, to which it is very similar in ax)pearance and habit of growth. It is con- fined largely to rather lim- ited areas on sandy or grav- elly knolls and hillsides, and is valuable chiefly because it thrives in these poor soils, furnishing considerable psis- turage where but few other grasses can do more than simply exist. The third grama found in this region that deserves special mention is tall or side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula). (See flg. 18.) It is a larger grass than either of the foregoing, and, while occurring throughout, is more abundant in the rich prairie soil of the eastern portion of tlie region. It produces a fine growth of long, slender leaves and on good soil makes a good yield of hay. In Nebraska and the Dakotas, where this grass is very abundant, it is regarded as of more vahie for hay than for pasturage, as it yields well, and the tough, rather harsh leaves are more readily eaten by stock as hay than wlieu in the fresh state. In the principal range region, how- ever, the grass is seldom present in the meadows in much quantity, and on the drier soils the growth is not sufficient for hay; but it cures well on the ground and is readily eaten by range stock which are more accustomed to feeding on harsh
Size: 1178px × 2122px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectforageplantsunitedst
