SALTBUSHES AND THEIR ALLIES IN THE UNITED STATES 85 
Department sample 8805 (G) consists of material in early fruit 
with some leaves fallen, collected at Fargo, N. Dak., August 10, 1907. 
Composition (water-free basis) 
[ | 
Sample | Moisture lee 
Agia Ether Crude Nitrogen- | Pento- 
| free Protein 
pxGAchs | fiber | extract sans 
Per cent | Percent | Per cent | Per cent | Per cent | Per cent | Per cent 
Department 8805 (G)-_--------- 9. 6 9.4 3.8 | 24.9 | 50. 0 ie 17.6 
South Dakota (26)--___________- | 8.4 7.4 1.9 | 30.2] - 45.0 15; 5) <2 ee 
On sandy loam in the semiarid Plains region this species forms a 
part of the summer growth which is eaten by livestock. It also con- 
stitutes a small part of the prairie hay cut im these areas. 
RUMEX BERLANDIERI Meisn. 
Rumez berlandieri, known as Mexican dock in southern California, 
is a succulent thick-stemmed herbaceous perennial, 2 to 3 feet high, 
with leaves 3 to 6 inches long and one-fourth to one-sixth as wide, 
having a long taproot. The flowers and fruit are borne in a terminal 
panicle, usually several inches long. The species grows in south- 
western Texas, southern Arizona, and California, in the Colorado 
Desert country, and extends southward into Mexico. It grows mostly 
in “tight” soils that receive more water than the normal rainfall of 
such regions, and it will endure a great deal of alkali. In flooded 
basins, beside alkali lakes and along streams and ditches, this plant 
is fairly common, and in a few places it is moderately abundant. 
Department sample 9099 (G), consisting of plants in early bloom, 
cut 3 inches above the ground at Phoenix, Ariz., March 21, 1908, con- 
tained, on an air-dry basis, 3.1 per cent of moisture, and, on a water- 
free basis, 13.8 per cent of ash, 2.9 per cent of ether extract, 15.2 per 
cent of crude fiber, 42.1 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, 26 per cent 
of protein, and 8.3 per cent of pentosans. 
Whenever it is accessible, livestock eat PR. berlandieri freely. 
RUMEX HYMENOSEPALUS Torr. 
Rumex hymenosepalus, a perennial dock generally known as 
canaigre, has large leaves and tuberous roots that are somewhat like 
sweet potatoes in shape and size. It grows freely on the sandy plains 
of southern Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas, beginning its 
growth in the mild winter weather, blooming in spring and early 
summer, and drying up in midsummer. Its thickened roots are a 
source of tannin. 
The begasse from the extracted roots analyzed in the Arizona ex- 
periment station (6) contained, on a water-free basis, 2.3 per cent 
of ash, 0.7 per cent of ether extract, 12.1 per cent of crude fiber, 
77 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, and 7.9 per cent of protein. 
Forbes states that he has seen animals eat the flower stalks. They 
doubtless eat both the young green and the old dried leaves in times 
of scarcity. 
