478

Central City Neb
Sept 9 1886

Prof. C. E. Bessey
Lincoln Neb.

Dear Sir.

Your letter of the 6th inst. with circular on grasses,
is received and I herewith give you such information
as I have at present, and I also send you some branches
of the plant from the south and of the Platte bridge.

The plant is quite common on waste sandy
land and during its earlier growth has considerable
foliage, the leaves getting to be two inches long. The
branches I send are from several different plants, so
that you can see the leaves (which have mostly fallen). I noticed none of it
growing on the pasture on either side of the railroad tracvk;
which leads me to think that the cattle have eaten it
and possibly it may have some value as forage. The
root is annual. I have not noticed it growing only on
land that has once been plowed, and cannot say whether
it is indigenous or adventive. If you desire I
will send you specimens in blossom next summer.

As to Sand Cherries:

It is some twelve miles out to where they grow and
I do not know as I can get specimens with foliage this
fall, but I will send you a few to transplant at the
earliest opportunity.

What is the average size of the cherries?

The larger and sweeter ones are about the sixze of
a Murrillo cherry, but they average a little less.