ROCKY MOUNTAIN RFXIION. 27 



pogon, S}wroholm, and Trloilla in Oc-tol)er. If tliese grasses are kille<l out, their plates 

 will be taken by annnals of weedy i)rurlivities, such as the nuuierons species of 

 Ernfjrostis and Ariiitidd, which are neither lasting nor nutritions — grasses that sjiring 

 up with the early summer rains, ripen an alumdance of seed, and die. 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 



CONDITIONS AND I'KOBLEMS. 



Uiuler this hoiidiiio- tlie wofk in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and 

 Montana will be discussed. The physioo-raphic and climatic conditions 

 throughout this region are extremely varied, and consetpuMitly the 

 forao-e problems are very numerous. The climatic conditions naturally 

 depend largely upon the contour of the country. In the higher alti- 

 tudes of the extensive mountain regions there is usually sufficient 

 moisture, either in the form of rain or snow; hence the mountain 

 pastures and meadows do not sutler nuich from drought. In the foot- 

 hills, broad valle3\s, and more or less elevated bench lands the condi- 

 tions are more unfavorable for the development of vegetation, as the 

 amoimt of available moisture is nmch less. The flood plains and bot- 

 tom lands along the rivers and larger streams have be(Mi settled and 

 placed iMider irrigation and produce a))undant crops. The greater 

 portion of the unirrigated areas of this region is used for grazing. 

 The problems met with here are as numerous and varied as the soils 

 andclimatic conditions, and their great importance can be appreciated 

 when it is known that the greater part of this country will probably 

 never be profitably used for other than grazing and forestry purposes 

 on account of the phj^sical features and unfavorable climatic conditions. 

 The importance of the problems here was early recognized and steps 

 taken toward a thorough investigation of them. The range lands, 

 owing to injurious treatment, were rapidly deteriorating and their 

 carrying capacity was much lessened. With the rapid increase in 

 population and number of stock there arose a demand for hay for 

 winter feed. There was also the question of forage- crops that might 

 be successfully cultivated on the arid soils, which were so situated as 

 to make irrigation impossible. These extensive areas of alkali soils 

 presented various questions as to the possibilities of growing forage 

 plants. The injurious methods of irrigation had also resulted in the, at 

 least temporary, ruin by seepage of some of the best of the valley hinds. 

 The various subalpine meadows were also in need of improvement. 

 The scanty amount of available knowledge of the forage and actual 

 condition of affairs over the greater portion of this region made it 

 particularly desirable to begin a thorough investigation of the various 

 problems presenting themselves. The inaccessibility of a large part 

 of the countiy made field work here more difficult and expensive than 

 in many other regions, as the work could only be successfully carried 

 on by extended trips overland. 



