National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-29
GRASSES OF THE GREAT PLAINS
a Collection Made by DIR. Massey for
tho New OrIenns EYpoaition.

tho New Orleans Exposition.
DIR. George vasey, botAniss Of the de.
partment Of agriculture, returned yester.
region Of the west, chiefly in northern
New Moxico, Colorado, and western Kan
sas and Nebraska, whore no has been on
gagged in collecting specimens Of tho in.
digouous grasses of the country for tho
New Orleans exhibition, and making OBJ
sorvations on the distribution Of tho diff
forent varieties especially those which
constitute the staple Of the great pastures
OF the plains. OF fifty varieties obtained,
all but dozen or 80 werO found in elo-
waited situations on the mountain
sides, whore there is more mois-
turo than on tho plains; but u
is among the dozen varieties found
on the lower levels that tho great herds
of the pastoral region find their food, aud
Of these the two varieties known MS
buffalo grass and gramma grass are
beyond comparison the most important
These two, with tho "bluo glass" which
ranks next in order, though far below
thcm, constitute from 40 TO 80 per cent.
OF tho pasturage of the arid region. The
blue grass Just mentioned which must
not DO COMPOUNDED with tho cultivated
grass OF the same name-is found chiefly
in low and comparatively moist spots,
whore IL sometimes grows quito rank,
attaining height Of three feet aud
making good hay or &C.
ceptablo winter pasturas' Cattle,
however, will not eat It WIFI the more
nutritious buffalo and grant grass are
TO be had. OF these latter Or. Vasoy
found that tho gramma grass (which in
! 90 Il
roneously included under tho term buff
falo grass prodominates noar tho margins
Of tho little streams and for some dis
lance away from them, while tho buffalo
| grass IL the more abundant along the
ridges. In tho smaller mountain valleys
grammn, as rule, predominatcs.
DIR. Vasey estimates tho number Of cat
tic that can DO pastused on a square milo
within the arid region at from thirty TO
fifty head. lie thinks that tho produce
of some Of the wild grasses might possibly
be increased by cultivation, and thinks IL
desirable that experiments should DO made
in that direction, and in general with a
view to ascertaining tho capabilities OF
the arid lands.
Abiding to the prevailing western
opinion that tho amount of rainfall in.
creasos with tho settlement of tho country
aud tho breaking of tho soil by tho plows,
he said that within tho past three years
there had undoubtedly been o considern-
BILE and successful advance of cultivation
over lands formerly regarded as arid, but
| whether the rainfalls would permanently
prove sufficient for agriculture remained
to DO seen. Ho noticed. however, that
many ten-acro tracts of timber planted
within tho limits OF the arid region under
the timber culture act. appeared to be
doing woll, though in some cases he saw
tracts whore the trees, either from neglect,
lack of moisture, or other cause wore
dying out
The boundary between tho arid region
and the country whero the rainfall IL
sufficient for agriculture has commonly
been placed Mt the Tooth meridian. DIR.
Nascy appeared to think that 1t might
possibly be placed as far west as tho l0Jtt
meridian, though tho line is an irregular
one, being further wost in northern than
in southern latitudos, and considerably
further in tho valleys noar the longer
rivers than in the moro elevated rogion
lying between these streams,
DIR. Vasey war partcularlyastruck by
tho fine appearance of the crops in tn,
moro eastern portions Of Kansas and
Nebraska, and mentions that tho region
which q few years ago was abandoned 10
grasshoppers has again been brought
under cultivation, aud the folds in that
section this year w'-c fairly grooming
under their burden ol vhcat and corn.