60 BULLETIIT 791, V. &. DEPARTMEI^T OF AGRICULTURE. 



The fourth zone, a mixed cover of perennial grasses and weeds, 

 comprises an area of approximately 350 acres. The density of this 

 stand is 0.4. The cover as a v^hole is dominated by plants of the 

 second-weed stage, notably sweet sage and yarrow, though here 

 and there the fescues and the brome grasses have gained dominion 

 over the soil. A few well-defined areas of from a few to many acres 

 are dominated by small mountain porcupine grass and yellow brush. 

 When the density of the cover is considered, this belt affords fairly 

 good feed for sheep ; it can not be cropped advantageously by cattle 

 and horses. 



The fifth type, composed essentialh' of a grass cover and an oc- 

 casional clump of mountain elder, has a density of 0.7. Slender 

 wheat grass and blue bunch wheat grass are the predominating species, 

 while small . mountain porcupine grass, several species of the blue 

 grasses, and a few specimens of fescue and of brome grasses occur in 

 varying abundance. In adition, there is a scattered stand of late- 

 weed-stage 'species, of which sweet sage and yarrow are the most 

 abundant. This type affords good feed for all classes of stock ; and 

 the highest grazing efficiency on it may be expected from common 

 use; that is, the grazing both of cattle and sheep. 



From the viewpoint of forage production alone, the data pertain- 

 ing to the use year after year of this established bed ground show :^ 

 (1) There is practically a total sacrifice of 107 acres, composing 

 zones 1 and 2, which formerly supported at least a 0.7 cover of the 

 choicest of feed — an area large enough to support about 65 sheep, or 

 16 cows, per summer season of 100 days; (2) there is a belt of 215 

 acres which, assuming that half of the present vegetation is palatable 

 to stock, may now carry 16 sheep or 4 cows, but formerly would have 

 taken care of 130 sheep, or about 32 cows; (3) there is a zone of 350 

 acres which, assuming that three-fourths of the cover is palatable, 

 ma}^ now carry 105 sheep or 26 cows, but formerly would have sup- 

 ported approximately 210 sheep or 52 cows. In other words, if the 

 range had been used under the bedding-out system, and the lands 

 maintained properly, the data indicate that no less than 280 more 

 sheep, or 70 more cattle, could now be taken care of on this part of the 

 allotment alone. Assuming that there are other similar destructively 

 used bed grounds on the allotment, it is evident that its present car- 



1 In calculating the carrying capacity of the vegetative belts, it is assumed that the 

 entire area originally had a cover similar in density to that of the contiguous perennial 

 grass range at the present time. The writer believes this assumption to be conservative, 

 if not too low, in view of the fact that the soil is deep throughout. Sheep would not 

 completely utilize the former wheat-grass cover with its small amount of weed forage. 

 Cattle, on the other hand, would use little of the weeds. For this reason a deduction ol 

 about 14 per cent is made for wastage in utilization of the original cover to be con- 

 sistent with the deductions for low palatability in the present cover. Since the former 

 wheat-grass cover was undoubtedly much denser prior to the establishment of the bed 

 ground than the present wheat-grass cover on certain portions, no deductions are made 

 for waste of forage in calculating the former carrying capacity of the area. 



