250 



Bulletin 38 



In their original condition, these grassy plains are said by 

 those who first came to Arizona, to have been rarely beautiful to 

 the eye, and even yet, in remote districts, comparatively unchanged 

 by the operations of cattlemen, evidence of the truth of these state- 

 ments is to be found. In the swales and valleys of this country, 

 and wherever water was more abundant, the great bunch grasses 



,.•: il 



Mf«««Mi'r. 



?&$&:' 



Fig. 1. Swale in the San Simon valley showing a heavy growth 



of galleta grass which will obstruct the flow of flood 



water and prevent formation of gullies. 



grew luxuriantly. Sacaton and the galleta covered the ground 

 thickly, affording an abundance of native hay in the dr}- seasons 

 and quickly freshening up into green forage after a rain. In the 

 same situations, also, were to be found a bewildering variety oi 

 quick-growing watergrasses which afforded most nutritious feed 

 while they remained green. On theknolls and in the drier places, 



