20 FORAGE CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS. 



of the eriogonums {Eriogonum dichotonviwi, E. sphaerocephalum, and 

 ^.ifAym(9^^ 1 s),tetradymia(2e^ra^77imc«7i^ce?w),audibertia(^^i6^4a 

 incana), gilia (Gilia pungens), black .sago (Artemisia arlmscula), and 

 a little A. rigida. Of the.se the eriogonums and Artemisia rigida are 



of economic value. The former are especially useful as a browse for 

 sheep, as undoubtedly nearly all of the species of this genus are when 

 good feed is scarce. The herbaceous vegetation, aside from the grasses, 

 consisted entirely of a scattering growth of Gayophytum ramosissimum 

 and Lygodesmia juncea, both of which are of some importance as sheep 

 feed. The grasses were few, scattering bunch wheat grass (Agropyrcm 

 spicatum) being the most important, while there was an occasional 

 bunch of needle grass (Stipa tkurberiana) growing up through the 

 bunches of shrubs. Fescue (Eestuca microstachya) occurred in very 

 small quantities, and some of the root leaves of Sandberg's bluegrass 

 (Poa sandbergii) were in evidence where protected by rocks. It is to 

 be understood, of course, that the above represents the vegetation at 

 the time of observation (July). In the spring there are other short- 

 lived species which furnish some feed. On the better classes of 

 "scab" lands, along Cow Creek and south of Trinidad especially, 

 sheep fescue and the bluegrasses (P<><i n, r<i</< n.sls and P. wheeleri) are 

 more abundant. 



The condition of the feed in the Blue Mountains of Oreo-on was 

 variable, even in areas where meteorological conditions as well as alti- 

 tude are very similar. This is due entirely to the method of handling 

 the ranges. In the vicinity of the mountain settlements where sheep 

 are excluded the condition of the grazing lands is much better than in 

 the open country. The "dead lines" established by the ranchers, 

 usually on the watershed of the valley, although not always rigidly 

 maintained, have done much to preserve the original vegetation, for 

 it is not as closely eaten oh 1 ' by cattle, a few of which are possessed by 

 every rancher, as by the immense flocks of sheep which are driven 

 into these mountains from all directions. The great stretches of des- 

 ert range almost surrounding these mountains furnish abundant winter 

 pasturage for sheep, but the summer supply for the growing lambs in 

 the mountains is comparatively limited. The Blue Mountains, there- 

 fore, have been the battle ground of conflicting stock interests which 

 have striven for the past twenty years for the major share of the free 

 grass. The homesteader, by protecting small tracts about him, has 

 improved conditions wonderfully in limited areas. But those areas 

 which are not subject to individual control have been so closely pas- 

 tured that there is no more feed in some localities than on the deserts 

 below. Plate V, figure 1, shows a moist meadow on the north slope 

 of the mountains where there should be, and where there was formerly. 

 a luxuriant growth of grasses, clovers, and sedges, but which is now 

 all but barren of vegetation. A complete collection of the plants 



