54 



CONCLUSIONS. 



From the facts observed and gathered and from the specimens 

 collected in this preliminary survey of the summer range, we 

 have reached the following conclusions: 



(1) That on the sheep ranges in the part of the Sierra which 

 we visited the forage has not been greatly injured by overstocking. 



(2) That on these ranges there are many forage plants so 

 common and so hardy and nutritious that they are very valuable. 



(3) That the forage would, of course, be greatly improved if 

 the best of these native grasses could be made more abundant, 

 either by sowing their seed or by resting every year parts of the 

 range, and in this way allowing natural reseeding. 



(4) That in all probability there are foreign forage plants 

 whose seed could be successfully sown with benefit to the ranges. 



(5) That the best methods of causing the spread of these 

 good native and foreign plants have yet to be discovered; this by 

 experiments in obtaining the seed and sowing it, first in fenced 

 enclosures and then on the open range. 



(6) That in these experiments the Experiment Station meii 

 and the stockmen must work together if the results are to be 

 thoroughly practical, and at the same time scientifically accurate. 



