Grasses are the world’s most important plants. They are the dominant species over large parts of the earth’s land surface, a fact that is reflected in the many different words that exist for grasslands, words such as prairie, veldt, palouse, and pampas to mention just a few. As a group, grasses are of major ecological importance, as soil binders and providers of shelter and food for wild animals, both large and small. Some grasses, such as wheat, rice, corn, barley, rye, tef, and sugar cane are major sources of calories for humans and their livestock; others, primarily bamboos, are used for construction, tools, paper, and fabric. More recently, the seed catalogs that tantalize gardeners each winter have borne witness to an increasing appreciation of the aesthetic value of grasses. The Manual of Grasses for North America is designed as a successor to the classic volume by Hitchcock and Chase. It reflects current taxonomic thought and includes keys, illustrations, and distribution maps for the nearly 900 native and 400 introduced species that have been found in North America north of Mexico. In addition, it presents keys and illustrations for several species that are known only in cultivation or are of major agricultural significance, either as progenitors of bread wheat and corn or as a major threat to North American agriculture because of their ability to hybridize with crop species. The Manual of Grasses for North America is a major reference work for grasses that will retain its value for many years.

Excerpt from Flora of Colorado It was not the original intention of the Experiment Station to prepare and publish a work on the Flora of Colorado. The conditions of the State, the character of the flora, which is so different from that of the east, forced the necessity of collections and the study of local flora by the botanists of the Agricultural College and Experiment Station from the very first. The economic study of Colorado plants, especially the search for those which might be adapted to arid conditions, increased this necessity. Opportunity was furnished by collections of grasses and forest products for the Worlds Fair, and occasion was always taken when trips were made for any purpose, to obtain additional specimens. In the course of time the collection became so extensive that unless put in form for publication the time and expense involved would be lost, and the work which had been done would be of little service to us, and of none to the public in general. Some systematic collection was done by Professor James Cassidy, Professor of Botany (1881-1889), in the intervals of his many duties, up to the time of his death in 1889. His successor, Professor C. S. Crandall, gave much time to the work, especially after the establishment of the experimental grass station in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture. This afforded occasion and opportunity for trips in search of promising species of native grasses. Subsequent collections, especially of forest products and grasses for the World's Fair in 1893, gave rise to further collecting trips to various parts of the State. Enthusiastic aid was given by Mr. J. H. Cowan, an energetic and promising student, who became Professor of Horticulture and Botany upon the resignation of Professor Crandall, but whose promising career was terminated by death before he had entered upon the active duties of the position. By this time the collection was of considerable size, had been increased by exchanges, and represented much time and expense. A great many calls came for information, and it was at first thought to publish only a list of the plants which were represented in our own collection. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.