74 BULLETIN 791, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



grazing. Eanges tliat have been so destructively used as to support 

 chiefly annual vegetation, can not be grazed without further dete- 

 rioration. Such areas should be entirely closed to stock until the 

 cover is clearly composed of plants of the second-weed stage. Strict 

 application of the deferred grazing system should be applied on areas 

 in the second-weed stage and the practice should be continued until 

 the porcupine-grass-yellow -brush consociation has attained its maxi- 

 mum productivity. After that the deferred grazing plan should be 

 rotated so that each part of the allotment is gi-azed after seed ma- 

 turity at least once every 4 or 5 years. In general, there is little or 

 no justification for handling the lands so as to maintain a more or 

 less pure wheat-grass cover. If a good forage crop is to be main- 

 tained, however, the practice of using established bed grounds, of too 

 close herding, the excessive use of dogs, and other practices which 

 tend to destroy the vegetation must be avoided as far as possible. 



In using the plant indicators as a guide to determine whether or 

 not the range is in need of a change in the management it is well to 

 adopt some definite means of ascertaining the changes that are taking 

 place in the iDlant cover. While carefully selected plots, the vegeta- 

 tion of which is accurately mapped, are desirable, a careful systematic 

 ocular estimate of the composition and density of the vegetation will 

 suffice in practice. This can be made in various waj'S. A reliable 

 method, however, is to select carefully some four or five typical areas 

 over the allotment and lay out a plot, let us say, of 2 square rods on 

 each area. After securely staking and tying in the plot to insure its 

 relocation in future, list the chief indicator species as well as the 

 most important forage plants, either the local or Latin name being- 

 used, and estimate closely the comparative density of each. Greater 

 accuracy both in listing and in estimating comparative density is se- 

 cured by running a cord around the corner stakes of the plot and 

 across the plot where the vegetation is dense or forms a rank 

 growth. The value of this work is greatly enhanced by collecting and 

 preparing for the herbarium the main indicator and forage species 

 found on the selected area, and by procuring good ^photographs show- 

 ing the character and density of the vegetation additional features 

 of high value may be shown.^ 



The plants here listed as indicators of range conditions are not 

 necessarily the same as those of other regions in the West, As a rule 

 the same genera will be represented, but in many instances the species 

 will be different. As pointed out, reliable indicators of the more seri- 

 ous stages of overgrazing of any region may be determined by study- 



1 In photographing plots it should be the- aim to locate, by means of permanently 

 established stakes, the exact place and angle where the original view is procured. Sub- 

 sequent photographs may then be taken showing the progressive development of the 

 vegetation over the same surface. 



