The country included within this range is not suit- 

 able for agriculture. A rainfall is a rare occurrence, 

 and there is absolutely no water avaihihle for irrigation 

 purposes. The small and infrequent streams are in- 

 tensely alkaline, and the land, with ])ut few exceptions, 

 is a mass of lava rock covered with sage brush. 



The grazing is very limited, except in a few places 

 near the streams. Most of the ranchers expressed the 

 opinion that it would be a good plan if the Government 

 would make this territory a game preserve and regidate 

 the grazing, as at present it is greatly overstocked. An 

 article in the Movning Ovegonian, dated Septemljer 

 25th, 1919, states that about fifteen thousand head of 

 cattle are leaving Lake County, owing to the shortage 

 of feed, that Lake County is not suitable for farming, 

 and that these conditions are likely to continue indefi- 

 nitely with no possible chance of improvement. 



The people of Oregon are anxious to preserve 

 their last l)and of wild antelope, and there is no ques- 

 tion but that if these facts are placed l)efore the T:>roper 

 authorities, immediate steps would be taken for setting 

 aside this territory, in Avhich ])oth the antelope and sage 

 grouse are found, for a game or bird reserve. Accord- 

 ing to our recent investigations, this should include all 

 that country in the southeastern end of Lake County 

 beginning at the foot of Poker Jim Ridge in Township 

 thirty-three (33) Range twenty-eight (28), straight 

 down to the State line in Towmshi]) forty-one (11), and 

 following the State line west to Range twentv-five (25), 

 thence north in a direct line to Towmshi|) thirty-three 

 (33). This Avould in<dude almost all of the liaunts of 

 antelope and the sage gi'ouse. 



As the antelope drift down over the Oregon State 

 line into Nevada as far south as Mud Lake, it would 

 be necessary for their protection to include this terri- 

 torv in the reserve, it being the lower end of Antelope 

 Vallev. This w^ould include Tow^iships forty-six (IG") 

 and forty-«even (47) north. Range eighteen (1^), and 

 nineteen7l9), twenty (20), and twenty-one (21), all in 

 Washoe County, Nevada. 



79 



