FEED ON THE RANGE. 17 



which serves to sink the seed into the ground has not been determined 

 by this study. When moistened the gelatinous covering has a distinct 

 radial, striated structure, and the surface of the i>\t would indicate 

 tliat in some vray the earth is pulled away from the seed, thereby 

 allowing it to sink into the ground. The i)rocess is so effectual as to 

 cause the seed to be sunk even in hard roadbeds as well as ui^on the 

 general surface of the mesa. A study of this problem for the purpose 

 of determining exactly the influence of this mucilaginous covering in 

 the burial of the seed would throw considerable light upon the develop- 

 ment of these i^lants in unfavorable desert regions, and doubtless add 

 something to our knowledge of seed distribution. The amount of 

 seed produced in the spring of 1901 was exceedingly large. Consider- 

 able areas on our range reserve were completely covered with it. A 

 shower of rain on the 2Gth of ^lay served to make it very conspicuous. 

 Xaturally every cow track, gopher hole, and other depression was 

 filled with it. Wlien the rain fell these masses of seed became firmly 

 united together, sometimes into thin crusts and sometimes into masses 

 3 inches or more in thickness. Upon drying the mesa presented a 

 peculiar appearance, for these cakes curled in much the same man- 

 ner as a muddy deposit on the bottom of a dried-up i^ool. Many local- 

 ities have been seen where a third of the ground was covered for an 

 acre or more in extent with cakes of this seed. When moistened in 

 large masses a crust was invariably formed on the top and bottom in 

 a short time after the shower passed by. In both crusts the seeds were 

 relatively abundant. In the upper crust this appeared to be due to 

 rapid drying, but in the lower one it was evidently- due to gravitation, 

 whereby the seeds were deposited on the bottom, where they were 

 incrusted with particles of earth, leaving the mucilage more nearly 

 pure in the center of the mass. 



Mr. James Goodwin, of Tempe, reports that the seeds of these species 

 of i)lantain are largely used for food b}' the various Indian tribes of 

 Mexico. A beverage is prepared b}' soaking the seeds in water and 

 sweetening with sugar. In this way a sirupy liquid is obtained which 

 is said to be very nutritious. 



SALTBUSHES AND THEIR ALLIES. 



These "browse" i^lants are popularly known as sage brush in 

 Arizona, although very different from the artemisias of the North- 

 west, which are referred to by the same name. Every rancher is 

 acquainted with this portion of the stock feed of the region, but it 

 has appeared to me that its full value is not appreciated. The most 

 important of the species observed is shad scale {AtripJex canescens), 

 although several others, both of the perennial and annual groitps, 

 occur in large quantities. These are grazed to a greater extent in 

 the Santa Cruz Valley than in any other region visited. Here it is 



7710— Xo. 1:— 01 2 



