Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867Various
Science
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867
Various
California Academy of Sciences -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
The following List of Grasses, accompanied by the very
judicious and practical observations of the Corresponding
Member of our Natural History Society, Mr. C. J. Croft, of
the 1st Cavalry California Volunteers, was received by mail
from Fort Goodwin, Arizona Territory, some little time since.
From the same intelligent source, we have, from time to time,
received many valuable specimens, preserved with uncommon care,
and reaching us in a state quite unusual, even from localities
far more favorably situated. We are very hopeful, we shall
shortly be placed in possession of specimens of the seed of
the _White Layia Mexicana_, for ornamental culture, as also
of a species of native Potato, from the same indefatigable
individual, who has also furnished us with a very interesting
account of numerous species of the Cactus family, of that
District.
The Grasses of Arizona.
BY C. J. CROFT, U. S. A.
The grasses of this Territory, principally consist of four
varieties:
No. 1. (_Pleuraphis Jamesii_, Torr.,) is the lowland Grama
which grows in great profusion along the valley of the Gila,
and constitutes the principal feed for our animals, which do
quite well upon it, moderately worked.
No. 2. (_Aristida purpurea_, Nutt.) The highland Grama, growing
upon the sand “mesas,” or highlands, seems to differ but
little, if any, from that found in some portions of California.
No. 3. (_Muhlenbergia pungeus_, Thurb.) Black Grama, or, “Grama
China,” as vulgarly called by the natives, is the most valuable
as feed; upon it animals will fatten. It grows on the highlands
in sandy arid soil. I have never met any of this variety in the
valley of the Colorado, and but very little in the territory of
New Mexico. At this post we have had as many as 700 animals,
and the scarcity of forage required us to herd our stock upon
this grass during the winter. We were often obliged to make
rapid and distant marches in pursuit of Indians, over a country
almost impassable, yet our horses stood it well, fed only upon
this grass. Our cavalry here had no grain during the entire
winter. This Grama, like the other species, grows in bunches
several feet apart, and the lower stalks are green during the
winter season.
No. 4. (_Sporobolus airoides_, Trin.) This grows in the
valleys. A great portion of the Gila Valley is covered with it.
Animals eat it readily when green; it is however a powerful
diuretic. As a winter grass it is of no account.
Besides these four enumerated grasses, the letter contained
three others from the same locality:
1. _Panicum capillare_, L.
2. _Tricuspis pulchella_, Kunth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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