16 Forest Club Annual 



period of overgrazing the most highly relished species would 

 be the first to give way during the gradual process of elim- 

 ination and that eventually there would remain only the ob- 

 jectional or unpalatable species. This, however, is not the 

 general rule, for few herbaceous plants cease to grow as a 

 result of the removal of the aerial parts. By far the greatest 

 injury is brought about through the impoverishment of the 

 root system by pruning and exposure. The hardiest and most 

 strongly-rooted species, usually perennials, persist to the very 

 last. If grazing is continued, even the perennial plants, which 

 are the most valuable, may be completely eliminated and the 

 lands are invaded by annual weeds of little or no forage value. 

 Experiments to devise an effective means of natural re- 

 seeding the grazing lands on National Forests were started 

 on the Wallowa National Forest in northwestern Oregon in 

 the spring of 1907. Data was ascertained covering the follow- 

 ing points : 



1. To determine the relative importance of the native 

 grasses and forage plants by studying (1) their abundance, 

 distribution, seed habits, and forage value, and (2) their life 

 history so far as concerns the handling of these lands as 

 grazing areas. 



2. To ascertain the rapidity and extent to which the 

 important forage plants are regenerating upon areas over- 

 grazed in various degrees, both under the present range man- 

 agement and upon areas exempt from grazing animals. 



3. To determine what plants under the present grazing 

 system are succeeding upon depleted range areas, and how, by 

 natural reseeding, the best grazing species may be reproduced, 



As a preliminary step to the inauguration of this ex- 

 periment, in order to know at what time it was safe to admit 

 stock to graze the depleted areas without possible injury to 

 the seed crop, it was of paramount importance (1) to learn 

 what species constitute the leading forage plants and (2) 

 to determine for each of these the period at which the flower 

 stalks are produced and when the seed is matured and dissem- 

 inated. Information pertaining to the most valuable forage 

 plants was ascertained by following the sheep as they leisurely 

 grazed the different range types under the varied conditions 

 during the progress of the season, noting their choice of 



