TH?: LAKCJK TNCLOSURE. 25 



])V inoMsurino- the yield of all voo-ofcition excoptino- the shiu])s upon 

 representative areas earet'ully selected from the diflerent divisions of 

 the tract. The positions of the plots measured are indicated l)y letters 

 upon the diaoram (tio-. 1). A to Q represent those areas nuMisured 

 l)etween the 1st and 20th of April, and A' to K' between th(> L'l>th of 

 Septeni])er and 2d of Octol)er, VM'A. 



It will l)e noticed that l)ut few perennials, aside from the o-rasses 

 included in the fall reckoning-, are listed. It was the intention to esti- 

 mate only the grasses and other annual plants, ))ut it was decided after 

 the work was begun to include a few perennial species other than the 

 grasses. It might appear l)etter to have made ([uantitative measure- 

 ments upon those plants of forage value only; but it is exceedingly 

 difficult to decide which species are and which are not forage plants. 

 It often happcMis that nearly all ])lants that grow are eaten. \N'hat is 

 grazed depends largely upon Avhat is availabU' for stock to eat within 

 walking distance of water. It was deemed better^ therefore, to meas- 

 ure the entire growth exclusive of the shrubbery, and to estimate the 

 nonforage plants by deducting from the totals thus obtained such aper- 

 centage as seems justifiable, based upon personal obserxations as well 

 as the testimony of stockmen. 



In these measurements a unit area 3 feet l)y 7 feet Avas adopted, and 

 in the majority of cases the areas were measured by a frame of the 

 dimensions stated constructed for tliis purpose. In a few cases ;he 

 areas were measured with a tapeline. All plants within the frame 

 were pulled up, counted, cleaned, the roots cut off at the surface of 

 the ground, and the plants thoroughly dried and subsecjuently weighed. 

 In some instances where the number of plants was very large and the 

 distribution uniform, one-half of the plot only was used for the esti- 

 mate, although the tables given below are based upon areas of 3 feet 

 by 7 feet for the sake of uniformity in tabulation. In four instances 

 plants were discarded— that is, no records of them are made in these 

 tables. They were so small and of such insignificant weight that they 

 would amount to only about 1 pound per acre. The annotations in 

 the last cohunn of the tables mention these. 



While making the measurements in the spring it was found that in 

 some of the plots there was a number of very small seedlings which 

 it was decided not to include at that time on account of the fact that 

 they would necessarily have to be included in the autumnal measure- 

 ments. This avoided counting the same plants twice. It was decided 

 to include Atriplex elegana in both spring and autumnal measure- 

 ments, because of the better growth made ]\y it than liy the others, 

 and on account of the great loss which the plant would sustain daring 

 the long dry season from April to the first of July. This loss, it is 

 thought, will in a large measure correct the error incurred by the 

 double estimate of this plant. The measurements were made when it 



