THE NOKTIIWEST. 



89 



rroiii one t(i live linndri'il pounds, acconliii-;' to Mk- (le>siriil)ility of tlic wpecics aiul the 

 dilliciilty of scciiriiiir it. Tlic total amount roUected was about 4 tons. Besides 

 seeds a ronsidorable i|uantity of roots were ol)tained for transplantiiiii;, also several 

 hundred specimens of interesting^ speeies for the herbarium or exhibition purposes. 

 Anionii the most important results of the held work was the ijiformation secured by 

 direct o))servation of the actual conditions and problems to be met in the various 

 regions and by intercourse with the stockmen and ranchmen. This intercourse brings 

 into actual touch the Dei«irtment and those for whose immediate benefit the work is 

 intended, and so promoti'S mutual understanding and profit. They come to a l)etter 

 und._-rstanding of the methods and aims of the Department, and we come to a better 

 knowdedge of their ditliculties and needs. 



The viiluc of thi.s seed work and the desirability of continuino- it wa.s 

 particularly empha,sized. The little experience already gained by the 

 culti\'ation of some of the native forage plants has conclu.sively shown 

 that there are great possibilities in this direction, and that future 

 investigations will undoubtedly prove that many of these native spe- 

 cies can be successfully and profitably cultivated in arid and alkali 

 soils where few or none of our introduced species wnll succeed. A list 

 of the especially promising species of which seed was obtained in 

 quantity was also given in this ciicular with notes regarding their 

 distribution and their particular value for special conditions and 

 purposes. 



THE NORTHWEST. 



CONDITIONS AND 1'RoHLEMS. 



Under this head the region included in western Idaho and the por- 

 tions of Washington and Oregon lying east of the Cascade Mountains 

 will be considered. The conditions and prol)lems here are very sim- 

 ilar to those of the Rocky Mountain region, especially of the northern 

 portion of that region. The annual rainfall over the greater part of 

 this territory averages about 15 inches or less. The important forage 

 questions presenting themselves are here, as in the Rocky Mountains, 

 the improvement of the. greatly deteriorated range lands and the ques- 

 tion () i" forage for arid and alkali soils. In addition there is the question 

 of the control of the shifting sands at various points along the Colum- 

 ])ia River. 



WORK nONE. 



Field work in this region was commenced in 1S98 by Prof. F. 

 Lamson-Scribner, who made a general study of the region. Mr. A. B. 

 Leckenby has done work for the division in this region during the 

 past three years, in addition to having charge of the experimental 

 work which was carried on at North Yakima and Walla Walla, Wash. 

 Professor Scribiier, Mr. A. L. S(n-ibner, and the writer did work in 

 this region during the sunnner of 1S1»9. The range lands in the vicinity 

 of Walla Walla and in the Blue Mountains of Washington and Oregon 



