FLORA OF THE NAVAJO RESERVATION 



By Aven Nelson. 



In the northeastern part of Arizona lies a vast area, per- 

 haps well known as an Indian Reservation, hut certainlv in- 

 adequately known as to its natural historv. This, however, is 

 not so surprising when one recally how new, after all, the great 

 semi-arid mountain West really is. Many factors have con- 

 trihuted to this, among which may be named inaccessibility and 

 the overshadowing lure of the economic possibilities. Strange 

 and interesting as are the plants and animals of the ever- 

 changing environment of these desert, canyon and mountain 

 solitudes, yet their fascination pales in comparison with that of 

 "the silver lode," "the copper mountain," or "the vein of gold" 

 — possibilities that no one is ever allowed to forget. For many 

 decades still, scores of localities will furnish collections of sur- 

 passing interest. 



It has ever been a matter of incredulous comment on the 

 part of those whose field experience has been confined to 

 regions of coniparativclv constant ecological factors that every 

 expedition in the interior West brings home its novelties. 

 Those who question, simply do not realize how great are the 

 extremes of the life factors: — heat and cold, moisture ruid 

 drought, soil comi)osition. light intensity, exposure to wind, 

 seasonal wiriation — in this ancient world. Nor do they realize 

 that une\])lt>red areas larger than some of the New England 

 states mav be found Jiidden awav in some of these western 

 counties. This Desert (?) XW-st is still a new world and 

 hapi)v is lie who experiences the joy of tr\ing to kn^w and in- 

 terpret the life and beauty of the primeval. 



