EARLY HISTORY OF CHERRY COUNTY, NEBRASKA

OUR NATIVE GRASSES
By L. M. Brouse

     (45) Grassland vegetation covers nearly all of the county. Only three and one-half percent of the acreage is cropland. Native grasses play an important role, usually indirectly, in the income of the rancher. Every grass plant is a little factory making the plant food which is utilized by our livestock.

     Forty some grass species have been identified in the county. Fifteen of these make up 85% of the total forage production. Sand reedgrass, Sand dropseed, Grama, Switchgrass, Big bluestem, Little bluestem, Sandhill bluestem, Slough grass, Indian grass, and Salt grass, are the most abundant species in the order given. There is considerable difference in the palatability of the grasses and hence their utilization rate. Following are a number of grasses listed in the order of their rate of utilization: Big bluestem, Indian grass, Sand dropseed, Western wheatgrass, Needle grass, Slough grass, Little bluestem, Switch grass, Grama grass, and Salt grass.

     The grass land of the county can be divided into five major vegetative types as effected by soil and topography. These are the Dune Sand, Dry Valley, Wet Meadows, Alkali Meadows, and Marshes. The association of grasses and their relative importance varies on each of these types. Sand reedgrass, Hairy grama and Sand dropseed which make up over 50 percent of the foilage density in the Dune Sand type are present in insignificant amounts in the wet meadow and alkali meadow types. Species predominating in the wet meadow type are Slough grass, Big bluestem, Switch grass, Indian grass and Meadow carex. The seeding of clover and tame grasses, such as red top, timothy and brome, in the wet meadows, has increased the yield and quality of hay.

     Anyone interested in learning to identify the common native grasses should be able to do so by comparing plant specimens with illustrations and descriptions given in a bulletin which may be obtained from the County Agent.

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