630 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



general broken character of the forests. Mountain bunch grass {Festuca virir 

 dula) is preeminent in importance among the forage plants of the entire range, 

 and associated with it are the mountain blue grasses (MeJica siJCctabiHs and 

 M. bclla). In a variety of situations, particularly in the moist habitats, moun- 

 tain timothy (Plileum alpinum), Alpine redtop (Agrosiis rosso:), hair grass 

 ( DcscJianipsia cfrspitosa and D. clongata), several species of rushes and showy 

 flowering plants eaten by stock are found. Sickle sedge (Carex deflexa) is 

 important in this zone because of its rapid succession on denuded bunch grass 

 areas. The fourth, or timberless zone, ranges in altitude from 8,000 to 9,500 ft. 

 Herbaceaus vegetation is sparse and dwarfed. A rather striking example of 

 this feature is the stunted condition of Trisetum spicatujii in this region. 

 Alpine bunch grass {Festuca hracln/ptn/Ua), T. spicatum, and G. preslii, which 

 furnish some forage in the zone below, occur in considerable abundance. The 

 records show an average annual precipitation of 18.95 in. in the valley sur- 

 rounding the mountains, and the average annual temperature from observations 

 made at four stations was 45.2° F. At one of the stations the temperature ex- 

 tremes were 110° in summer and — 17° in winter.- 



Observations on the mountain bunch grass area reported include notes on the 

 production of flower stalks, maturity and germination of seeds, and the destruc- 

 tion of seedlings by trampling. It was found that on the areas examined the 

 plants of highest forage value, including mountain bunch grass, are not repro- 

 ducing by seeds, and that most of the seedlings were sedges and particularly 

 sickle sedge, which composed at least nine-tenths of all the seedlings. It was 

 determined that .32.7 per cent of the seedlings found on the areas under observa- 

 tion were destroyed by trampling. 



The results of this work show clearly that the present regulations are in- 

 effective in bringing about the natural regeneration of the valuable grazing 

 plants. It is believed that a system of range control, whereby the overgrazed 

 areas may be protected from grazing animals during the period required for 

 the maturing and dissemination of the seeds, will be as effective in the restora- 

 tion of the range as a complete rest for a period of years. Moderate fall graz- 

 ing, after the forage plants have performed their full functions, is considered 

 as in no way interfering with their regeneration but rather as proving beneficial 

 and insuring a higher percentage of germination. If such system were under- 

 taken at the start only the more severely overgrazed areas would be closed to 

 stock during the period retiuired for the grazing plats to mature seed. In 1907 

 the seeds of the leading forage plants were matured and dispersed by Septem- 

 ber 5, and as the regular grazing on this range continues from September 20 to .30 

 the utilization of the forage crop under this system would be assured. 



Deep fall plowing' and the seed bed, S. A. Knapp (U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Doc. J/O.i, pp. 7, fig. 1). — This publication discusses the prepara- 

 tion of the seed bed, the root system of corn, deep plowing and the deepening 

 of the soil bj^ this means, points out the advantages resulting from a deep and 

 thoroughly pulverized seed bed filled with humus, and enumerates the condi- 

 tions of soil and subsoil unfavorable to deep plowing. The discussions have 

 reference mainly to southern agricultural practice. 



Electricity and agriculture, O. Lodge {Mark Lane Express, 99 {1908), No. 

 4008, pp. 91-93. figs. 3; Nature [London], 78 {1908), No. 2023, jrp- 331, 332, figs. 

 2; Elect. Engin., Jf {1908), pp. 112-llJ,; abs. in Agr. Gaz. [London], 68 {1908). 

 No. 1803, p. 1,0, figs. 3; 8ci. Abs., Sect. B— Elect. Engin., It {1908), No. 129, p. 

 J,05). — Tests on a large scale at Bitton, England, of Lemstrom's method of 

 electrification of soils are reported. The installation on the 10 to 11 acres 

 subjected to the treatment is described. 



