magenta or e\cn crimson color. The seed-vessels are round- 

 ish, about as thick as the leaves and of the same color, and 

 grow close together on the stalk, giving the appearance of a 

 bunch of gray flowers. 



This Atriplex will transplant easily to a California garden, 

 where if well watered the leaves increase in size and cjuantity, 

 and the whole bush presents a solid mass of velvety green-gray, 

 wdthout a stem showing". It seems probable that it could be 

 g'rown in the east if given some protection from the extreme 

 cold, because the temperature along the Alojave River goes 

 down sometimes to 10*^ in I3ecember and January. 



The Mojave River A'alley is one of great beauty, piclur- 

 esqueness and interest. From old settlers, one can get tales of 

 the Old AFormon Trail, of the Indians who were a harmless, 

 peaceable lot, of cattle-rustling and prospecting" and desperado 

 hunts, all within a generation. The rich land along' the bottoms 

 was taken u]) early and has Ijeen cultivated f()r half a century, 

 or used as pasturage, but a ((uarter of a mile to the east, w'here 

 beg'in the slopes to the foothills, the dry. sandy, rocky soil 

 offered no inducen.ients to agriculture, though in the winter and 

 spring the cattle found forage in the filaree and other green 

 plants. It has been only within the last five years that an vmder- 

 ground flow of water — a veritable second Mojave River — has 

 been discovered, which is bringing" in new settlers, who are 

 establishing modern wells, pumping plants and an irrigation 

 system. The soil and climate are found to be perfect for many 

 kinds of deciduous fruits, especially apples and pears. Two 

 ranches have taken the first prizes for apples, over the whole 

 state. 



The river flows near or at the base of a Mesa, about two 

 hundred feet high at the highest ])art, which slopes gently up- 

 ward and westward, to Antelope Valley. To the east, the land 

 rises more rapidly to a range of hills, four miles distant, every 

 foot of which has undoubtedly been prospected many times, and 

 manv claims staked out ; first for gold and silver which occur in 

 varving, quantities, later for lead. zinc, iron, lime, chalk, cement- 

 rock, brick-clay, and recently for tungsten. 



The ride to the hills is singularly beautiful, especially in 

 spring, through large greasewood bushes with their tiny, pufify, 

 yellow blooms, small Joshuas, wild asters, a mass of lovely 

 lavender, a variety of cacti with vivid cerise and scarlet flowers, 

 and manv other kinds of desert flora. One is sure to see sev- 

 eral jack-rabbits, but no cotton-tails nor little brush-rabbits, as 

 they keep near the river bottom. In the spring and summer 

 there are always land turtles to be found, varying in size from 

 two or three inches to over a foot. Chipmunks, field-mice and 

 the anuising kangaroo rats, traveling apparently on their hind 



39 



