26 FORAGE CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS. 



removed from the hot water, and evidently in earth containing con- 

 siderable soluble salt, were small areas of giant rye grass (Elymm 

 condensatus), wild wheat (Ely mux triticoides), and squirrel tail (Hor- 

 deumjiihdhini). Everywhere there was a robust growth of salt grass, 

 which was very heavily covered with the secretion so characteristic of 

 it in this region. All these were, of course, grazed to a large extent. 

 Attention is called to the fact that our animals refused to feed on the 

 salt grass here for the first time, owing, no doubt, to this covering of 

 salt. 



In places on the edges of the desert there is another salt-secreting 

 plant En nan us higelovU (?) (No. 535 Griffiths and Hunter), which the 

 writer has met with several times. It is always most abundant and is 

 most abundantly supplied with the secretion in the vicinity of borax 

 deposits. Last year it was found to be very common near Wild Horse 

 and again at this place. The salt secreted by this plant, however, is 

 very different from that of the salt grass, inasmuch as it assumes a 

 crystal ine structure when dry. 



About 1 miles from the hot spring mentioned, we came across a 

 very peculiar cool spring in the middle of the Black Rock desert. 

 The area immediately surrounding this spring is interesting in show- 

 ing the plants that thrive to the best advantage in this strikingly alka- 

 line situation, especially since all those which grow here are of value 

 for grazing purposes. This spring was situated in a hillock about 12 

 feet high in the middle of the level salt desert. The water formerly 

 broke out at the top of the mound, but now comes from the side and 

 runs only a few feet, before it sinks into the ground. There was a 

 scattering growth of salt grass all around the hillock and on the shady 

 side a thick growth of grease wood. The seepage ran out on the 

 desert about 50 feet and sank into the ground. A patch of squirrel- 

 tail (Hordeinn jvbatum) and Scirpus a/mericanm was growing in the 

 seepage water. This was practically the only pasturage found for our 

 animals on the entire trip of 100 miles from Deep Hole to Lovelock. 

 The plants specified above formed the only vegetation aside from some 

 of the blue-green algae forming a scum over the entire surface of the 

 ground, which was kept moist. The water, although cool, was 

 intensely alkaline. 



It is to be understood, of course, that the region which was traversed 

 between Smoke Creek and Lovelock is used mainly as a winter range 

 for sheep. There are in this region a few cattle camps, and the Deep 

 Hole Company has control of the Granite Mountain region, in which 

 there is, of course, better feed. In places between Rabbit Hole and 

 Lovelock, and especially eastward from Pyramid Lake, there are very 

 extensive areas of white sage {Eurotia lunata) on the mesas and foot- 

 hills and very often extending into the mountains. The finest areas 

 of this plant seen were located 20 miles or so north of Lovelock and 



