Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-05-09
UNDERGRADUATES
Grasses That Will Grow In Alkali
Soil and In the Arid
Regions.
GOOD FOR CATTLE RANGES
Experiments By the Department of Agri-
oulture-Plants That Resist Droughts
"A Grass That Flourishes In All
Parts of New Mexico.

Parts of New Mexico.
The division of agrostolosy Of the de-
partment of agriculture has just issued
a farmers bulletin relative to cooper
alive experiments with grasses and for
age plants. The bulletin is written by
P. Bevering Kennedy. Professor Ken
nedy says:
THE MAIN OBJECT.
The interest in the introduction of
useful grasses and forage plants is in
creasing throughout the country every
year. Daily applications are received
from farmers who desire to operate
with the division in the important work
of introduction and trial Of new or un-
tried varieties. The main object is to
introduce into cultivation native and
foreign varieties Of grass and forage
plants that are suitable for certain pur-
poses or conditions. Some plants have
been found to be excellent drouth re-
sisters; others on account of their
strong, creeping root stocks, are found
to be we'll adapted to bind the drifting
sands OF our coasts and lake shores,
while still others have the power to re-
sist the trampling Of stock, and are
valuable for retaining the cattle
ranges of the great west. There are
large tracts of land in the country
where the soil is so alkaline that the
a,I4i,,okol ~oaao mill not rrour IN
them. BY the introduction Of salt
bushes on these lands a nourishing for
age can be produced which is liked by
all kinds of stock. The report gives the
following account Of seed experimental
with and the testimony of experiment.
ers:
GROWS IN ARID SOILS.
Bunch wheat grass is a slender, usu-
ally densely tufted native grass, one to
two feet or more high, with very narrow
spreading leaves and usually bearded
spikes. This grass is common tn the
Rocky mountain and Pacific slope re-
gions, extending westward to the coast.
w ilGIl 6IOWu upoIl 6OoA " ~ poooSooSo
much agricultural value, and is consid-
cred by ranchmen al a good grass for
winter grazing. AS it will thrive in the
semi-arid regions of the northwest. Its
cultivation should be carried on more
extensively. Seeds of this variety were
sent to eleven experimenters, but no
reports have yet been received.
WHEAT GRASS.
Western wheat grass is a rigid, up
right, perennial, native grass, n and a
half to two and a half feet high, with
foliage, spikes and root stocks closely
resembling the common couch grass of
the eastern states. The whole plant diff
fers, however, from the quack grass In
having a blush color, and on this &C.
count has received the name "blue
STEM" This grass is quite distinct from
the blue stem grasses Of Nebraska and
other western states. In its native state
western wheat grass Is found growing /
on bench lands and river bottoms. 1t
grows luxuriantly all owe central Tex
as and withstands the drouths to which
that section of the country Is periodical
ly subjected. While it will not produce
much hay to the acre as some other
species, stockmen value it highly for its |
nutritive qualities. In Montana and the
%neighboring states 1t furnishes a con
siderable amount Of native hay and
and is there regarded as one
of the most important forage plants.
This grass would make excellent hay, |
and should be introduced into cultiva-
ton.
RESPONDS TO CULTIVATION.
Slender wheat grass is a native per-
ennial grass about 8 to 4 feet high, with
soft leaves and q long, slen-
der erect spike. 1t is found growing |
wild in dry soil from New Mexico and
southern California to Washington and
British Columbia and eastward to New
Hampshire and Labrador. 1t responds
to cultivation and produces ex-
cellent results when slightly irrigated.
When well grown 1t forms a close, uni
form growth that yields as much per
acre as an average field of timothy.
its high nutritive value, no
more profitable grass can be found for
dry regions, especially on saline soils.
1t is one of the most valuable grasses
for the Rocky mountain region. During
the years 1898 and 1899 eighty-nine g.
pound packages Of the seed Of slender
wheat grass were distributed. This dis
tribution includes experimenters in
twelve different states. Twenty-eight !
reports have been received from ten diff
ferent states, very favorable ones hav-
ing been received from Colorado, Idaho,
Montana and South Dakota.
FLOURIsHEs WHERE TIMOTHY
FAILS.
Seed of smooth bronze grass was OBJ
tanned by the secretary of agriculture
in 1898. The lot consisted of twelve tons
from the Penza province, in the Volga
river region Of Russia. At the agricul-
tural school at Uralsk, on the Ural riv- |
er, whore the annual rainfall Is 1875 in
ches, the smooth bronze grass was re-
garded as the best grass for the steppes.
The best Russian authorities do not
think this grass equal to timothy for
feeding value, but 1t flourishes in Sec
lions where timothy Is an utter failure.
It's chief value will probably be in dry
regions.
STOCK EAT 1T. |