AUSTRALIAN SALTBUSH. 9 



On account of its high salt content the Australian saltbush is not 

 as palatable as most ordinary forage, but it is eaten readily by sheep, 

 goats, cattle, and horses when other forage is scarce. By reason 

 of its nonpalatability it is avoided early in the season when other 

 forage is plentiful, and thus is available in a green state later in the 

 summer when most other plants have become entirely dry. Its 

 ability to furnish succulent feed which serves as a reserve supply 

 in late summer seems to constitute the real value of this plant. It 

 is not sufficiently drought resistant to grow in areas where other and 

 better forage plants will not succeed, and for this reason its use must 

 be confined to the more favorable regions where it will serve as a 

 reserve supply in late summer, as already indicated. 



To be of the greatest value the Australian saltbush must be sup- 

 plemented with other feeds. If fed alone stock will eat it only in 

 limited quantities on account of its high salt content, and for the 

 same reason when eaten in large quantity it is more or less injurious 

 to animals. 



SEEDING ON RANGE LANDS. 



There is but little information regarding the best practice in seeding 

 the Australian saltbush on pasture and range lands. However, in 

 view of the fact that under natural conditions the seed ripens in the 

 fall and drops to the ground soon afterward, it would seem that fall 

 seeding may well be practiced. It is possible that spring seeding 

 may give good results under conditions where weeds or competing 

 plants are not abundant, but where winter-growing annuals have 

 already made a good growth and summer annuals are beginning 

 growth it is not likely that this saltbush will have much chance to 

 establish itself. 



The only thing that can be done economically is to scatter the seed 

 broadcast in favorable locations and allow it to take care of itself. 

 If it will not grow and reseed itself under such conditions it can not 

 be used profitably for range purposes. 



SEEDING UNDER CULTIVATION. 



In growing the Australian saltbush under cultivation the best 

 time for seeding is in the spring, about the time that corn ordinarily 

 would be planted. The land should be well prepared, as for any 

 other small-seeded crop, by plowing and subsequent harro wings. 

 Care should be taken to cover the seed very shallow. Seed planted 

 deep will not germinate, and for this reason it is necessary to have 

 good moisture conditions at the surface, so that shallow-planted 

 seed will receive enough moisture to insure germination. The 

 planting should be made in rows about 3| feet apart, and culti- 

 vation should be given as for any ordinary field crop planted in 

 rows. 



