Circular No. 22.— (Agros. 59.) 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. UBRARY 



NRW YOPK 



[Grass and Forage Plant Investigations,] _. 



BOTANfCAL 



— ^ GARDEN 



GRASS AND FORAGE PLANT INVESTIGATIONS ON THE PACIFIC COAST.* 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Department of Agriculture has from time to time carried on 

 investigations of the grasses on the Pacific coast, but the first really 

 systematic work of this kind dates from a personal visit made to that 

 section during the season of 1898. On this trip a number of the 

 more important localities were visited, especial attention being de- 

 voted to the investigation of the present conditions and needs of the 

 range region of central and eastern Washington and Oregon and the 

 areas subjected to the shifting sands along the coast region and at 

 various points along the Columbia River. 



Throughout the drier sections east of the Cascades, the carrying 

 capacity of the ranges has been very much reduced through drought 

 and overstocking, and one of the questions of greatest importance in 

 this region has to do with the improvement of the range and bring- 

 ing it back, if possible, to its original productiveness. The present 

 worn-out condition has undoubtedly resulted from a combination of 

 circumstances. During the years* when the ranges were at their 

 period of greatest productiveness, they were grazed to their utmost 

 capacity, and upon the advent of the series of dry seasons, which 

 naturally resulted in light yields of forage, it was necessary to over- 

 graze in order to keep the stock alive. Then, again, the open win- 

 ters made it possible to keep the stock on the range a much greater 

 portion of the year than previously, and close grazing followed at a 

 season when the grasses could least endure it — namely, in early 

 spring. The grass was given no opportunity to recuperate, and the 

 present worn-out condition of the ranges resulted. 



The large number of horses which have ranged over some sections 

 of the country have had much to do with the present depleted con- 

 dition, while in other sections much injury has been caused by sheep. 

 To any one visiting these grazing regions it is at once apparent that 



* This report is based upon personal observations and upon communications 

 received from time to time from Mr. A. B. Leckenby, a special agent of this 

 Division in charge of investigations on the Pacific coast. A report in detail upon 

 the varieties grow^n by Mr. Leckenby is in prej)aration. — F. L. S. 



