20 EANGE IMPKOVEMENT IN ARIZONA. 



sized specimen of O. spinosior was tried. About one-third of the 

 plant was left nnsinged. Ten days later, when the locality was aj^ain 

 visited, the singed portion had all been eaten down to the old hard 

 wood. As near as could be judged the greater part of three years' 

 growth had been eaten. The cattle were doubtless attracted by the 

 small quantity of hay (used in the singeing) that was scattered over 

 the ground. It is well known that these plants, at certain times of 

 the year at least, are very rich in starch, and for that reason may be 

 more nutritious than one would be led to believe. To what extent 

 this form of vegetation, so abundant on the mesas of this region, can 

 be utilized as cattle food in time of scarcity is not known. Neither 

 is it known whether the plants will survive the singeing i^rocess. 

 Two experiments were started for the i3urpose of determining the 

 latter point, but engagements compelled the writer to leave the region 

 before anj^ conclusion could be reached. The singeing of the giant 

 cactus [Cereus giganteus) is said to have been a common practice 

 among the Indians in former times. By lighting the spines of the giant 

 Cereus the;^^ gave momentary signals to their friends in the distance. 

 Man}^ of these plants with burned spines were encountered during the 

 the xjast season in full bloom and in apparently healthy condition. 

 Whether the other species will bear the same treatment remains to be 

 determined. It is certain that the spines alone prevent their being 

 eaten more extensively by cattle. 



THE GRASSES. 



As usual in every range the grasses form the bulk of cattle food. 

 Other plants are more or less important, because they serve the A^ery 

 useful purpose oftentimes of tiding over x^eriods of short pasturage. 

 "While the bulk of the feed in many localities for the greater part of 

 the year is obtained from the grasses, the other vegetation mentioned 

 above serves the very vital purpose of furnishing a subsistence ration 

 when the more nutritious and palatable grasses fail entireh'. It is for 

 this reason that the species of Plantago, Atriplex^ and Erodium are 

 of so much importance and the Cacfacece are mentioned as being of 

 possible utility. 



At the i3resent time perennial grasses are rarely found on the gen- 

 eral mesa in the Santa Cruz Yallej^ in the vicinity of our experimental 

 tract, unless it be in an occasional stray bunch protected by the thorns 

 of the mesquit or the spines of the cactus. In the protected i3laces 

 along the river bottoms are still found excellent growths of saccaton 

 (Sporoholus wrightii). This has been to a large extent exterminated 

 in recent j^ears for agricultural purposes, so that the only places in 

 which it is found at the present time are in an occasional i)asture or 

 in uncultivated portions of fenced fields. It is one of the most per- 

 sistent of the native species of the region. The wood}' character of 

 the culms prevents its being grazed closely, which, no doubt, has 



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