(Vn/.::///// Reconnaissance on Coconino National Forest 75 



vice note books, and described the following points : 



1. Surface. Whether level, rolling or rough, the steepness 

 of slopes, depth of canyons and height of rim rocks, if any were 

 present, and all other points which would describe the appear- 

 ance of the area. 



2. Soil. Probable origin, composition, amount of rock, 

 texture, depth, and moisture content. 



3. Vegetation. The abundance and the composition of the 

 vegetation were written up separately for each subtype. The 

 species were listed under the heads of palatable and ruonpalat- 

 able. The palatable vegetation was divided into (a) grasses ; 

 (b) weeds; (c) browse; while the nonpalatable consisted almost 

 entirely of weeds, some of which were poisonous. If any trees 

 were present their shade cover, or rather the fractional part of 

 the surface from which herbaceous vegetation was excluded by 

 tree shade, was given. The density of grasses, weeds, and browse 

 taken together over the whole area was expressed in tenths, ten 

 tenths indicating a perfect stand, while the portions occupied by 

 grasses, weeds, and browse respectively were expressed in 

 per cents of the total density. To illustrate : In the type 6 G 

 (YP) the Western Yellow Pine has a shade cover of two tenths. 

 There is a five tenths density of other vegetation consisting of 

 grasses 50 per cent, weeds 30 per cent and browse 20 per cent. 

 The condition and composition of each type were discussed 

 separately. 



4. Water. In a region so dry as this special stress was 

 laid upon water facilities. The distance to nearest water, the 

 amount present, and if none was on or near the area, the possi- 

 bility of water development were discussed. Tanks (reservoirs) 

 constructed by the stockmen furnish a large percentage of the 

 water for stock in many places. These tanks, located in natural 

 drainage lines, catch and hold a part of the water that comes 

 down after a rain or while the snow is melting. Some are con- 

 structed by scraping out a large basin-shaped hole in the 

 ground, using the dirt scraped out for the construction of 

 the dam. The dams of the larger tanks are constructed of 

 cement, often at a cost of several thousand dollars. In all 

 cases a fine textured clay soil well "puddled" is necessary as 

 a bottom in order to decrease the loss of water by seepage. 

 It was customary to give the size of each tank, and estimate 

 or inquire from the stockmen as to whether they were suffi- 

 ciently large to supply the stock grazing on the area with 



