Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-07-04

0RAee On ALleAkt 00el.

-.:..ss.srt 81 sss5 - Z. iz Il
ooa1ve. 0as1nst DaaasA,. 11dglG.
1oat 80 wheat 0noA6s..::..::
MERE are. 1 number Of native glea.ss
that may be called sak lowing apeeles.
and their presence IL dn5e ih1i<ea11on
az IN alkaline eotl. One of TIE most
characteristics. Of these. .in. IRE l013ons.
:of the: soutb1est sA> Cali11dtsi4 u. 1ne
topped salt grass. This n one of fhe
native tuasoek Or bunch grasses, md
h found throughout the dsesst hnds.
and regions Of the. southwest, extend
Ing nosthward to Nebraska ana Mon*a-
O. It ID one Of the important grasses.
Of TIE Red desert Of Wyoming and In
spite Of ito harsh foliage and woody.
culml y usually kept well eaten down
by stock.
Rough Ieafed salt erass, pporobolus
asperifolius) is common throughout the,
region in question and win grow on the
strongest alkaline lands. It lie q low,
spreading species, with comparatively
eoft leaves and fine tops, and fur
nishes q moderate amount OF grazing
In many localities. -
One Of the wheat grasses already re-
1erred to, Agropyron teneram, 10 COM
mon In the. deserts, Of Wyomiug and
the northwest and In rare cases foriB
q olose, uniform growth that yields 60.
much per acre as an average ned az
timothy. It is probably one Qf the
best pasture and hay g1aepqs Of light
coils, and its cultivation hAs been a.
tended with success. Other snecies q
wheat grasses, including the western
wheat grass, are occasion4Ay found
On alkah lands, 90 are 'sevesal Of the
Wild rye grasses, including great bunch
grass (Elymus condensatua) and Ely
mus simplex. The latter has compare
lively low growth, but delights In
strong alkaN lands.
Indian millet is found In. desert
places where the soil is more or less
alkaline and is often seen growing In
the drifting sands Of the desert. It
ranges from New Mexico and southern
California northward to the Canadian
line. All kinds Of stock relish.tt, and
the seed heads appear. 10: be specially
palatable to horses. 49,
The NEST widely distributed and
most abundant Of all grasses: Of alkah
soils is Distchhs martina, or what 10
widely known 40 salt grass. This grass
II not confined to the salt lands Of the
interior, but occurs on the sah marsh
- Of the coast from Maine to: Texas
and ON the west from British Comm
bia southward. 1t will thrive even In
ground heavily impregnated With al
kah ana other salts and whepe nearly
III other vegetation would perish. In
the interior It ranges from Montana
oouthward TO Texas and Ariso,,a, and,
although much inferior In quality 10
better pasture grasses Of The eat,
In the REGION whAse it cecutaH h a.
ten Sstesmed very highly, IT. WIN xotit,
/: q eood sod, and ,ander favorable 3epo4
dittons II makes Z su1nctent srowth 20
produce q good crop OF hay. It b
probably the most abundant species In
the Rio 0rande valley, In Texas, New
Mexico and in The val3eys westward 10
the Pacific ocean.
1ta presence 10 regarded ~ an in
&aldb}e sieu Of water near the surface.
q fact taken advantage OF by prospect
ors and miners. In the dry ree3oue
the grass IL valuable for the pasture
Il furnishes near the springs that serve
az watering places for stock on tho
open range.-F.~L amson Scribner.
seFv1eoahle For LeveliAe SOIL.
For many uses have found a pole
drag very 'serviceable implement
better than roller, because it will
level and pulverize without packing
the soil The one I use is shown in
the accompanying illustration. It is
made Of three hardwood poles 6 inch
es in diameter and ~ feet long.
The poles are fastened together about
a foot apart by means of short pieces
OF chain. For seat bolt piece
Of board to the middle Of the first
pole and allow it to extend slightly