16 RANGE MANAGEMENT IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. 



At the present time there are large areas (see PL III, fig. 1) where 

 all of the native grasses, except June grass (Poa sandbergii) , have 

 been destroyed. The latter — owing to the fact that it is not relished 

 by stock after it begins to head out — is still quite abundant and fur- 

 nishes a large amount of spring grazing. Wherever these plants are 

 destroyed sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and rabbit brush or 

 "yellow sagebrush" (Chrysothamnus nauseosus, C. viscidiflorifs). 

 and other weeds that are not relished by stock have taken their places. 



There is considerable difference of opinion among the stockmen as 

 to whether or not the native grasses, especially bunch-grass,, will 

 restore themselves if given an opportunity. Some claim that these 

 grasses will come back if given a chance, while others maintain the 

 contrary opinion. Both are in a measure correct. The truth of this 

 matter depends largely upon how long these grasses have been too 

 closely grazed. If they have been kept grazed down to a point where 

 they have had no opportunity to go to seed for a number of years, and 

 until the roots, unable to withstand the strain put upon them, have 

 died out, they will, of course, not come back. If, on the other hand, 

 as is for the most part true, the roots have not been absolutely killed 

 out or there is still some seed left in the ground, these grasses will 

 eventually restore themselves, although this process may be extremely 

 slow. 



During the seasons of 1901, 1902, and 1903 experiments were car- 

 ried on in the Rattlesnake Mountains, where the annual precipitation 

 is approximately 13 inches, to determine what grasses and forage 

 plants would be of value for use in the restoration of the range. 

 These experiments proved that bunch-grass could be successfully 

 grown on cultivated ground. They also showed that alfalfa could 

 be profitably raised in that locality and that hairy vetch (Vicia 

 villosa) might prove of value in range improvement. In this work 

 no forage plant was found that would give any better yield than the 

 bunch wheat-grass or the other native grasses. Even if such a plant 

 could be found it is doubtful whether it would stand the actual hard- 

 ship that the bunch wheat-grass or giant rye-grass will endure, or 

 would have the high feeding value of the two plants mentioned. 



Where the range is in a very bad state of depletion, and where the 

 native grasses have been nearlv exterminated, it is believed that the 

 process of restoration can be greatly hastened by gathering seed of 

 bunch-grass and scattering it in those areas where it formerly grew. 

 While experiments to prove this point have not been carried out, it- 

 is very probable that in favorable seasons reseeding would be very 

 successful if the seed were harrowed in or, if more convenient, thor- 

 oughly stamped in by herding a bunch of sheep over the area seeded. 

 Not only will reseeding hasten this process of restoration, but it will 

 give the bunch wheat-grass a start over the weeds that are at the 



