PREFACE 



In July, 1901, Dr. David Griffiths, expert in charge of field manage- 

 ment, accompanied by Mr. E. L. Morris, was commissioned to visit 

 northern Nevada and southern Oregon to investigate the range condi- 

 tions in that section, and the results of his observations are embodied 

 in this bulletin. 



Comparatively little was previously known as to the existing condi- 

 tions in this region, and the present report shows the pressing need of 

 reform in range management — a matter which applies not only to this 

 section, but to all the open ranges in the West. Throughout the entire 

 West, as the better land has been taken up by settlers the cattle and 

 sheep ranges have become more restricted, and stock are now forced 

 back from the fertile river bottoms and other lands so situated as to 

 make irrigation possible, and the inevitable result has been overstock- 

 ing of these restricted and poorer ranges, with all the attendant evils. 



In pursuing his investigations Dr. Griffiths visited the Pine Forest, 

 Bartlett Peak, Steins, White Horse, Blue, and Bendire mountains, 

 the valleys of the Humboldt, Quinn, Silvies, and Malheur rivers, and 

 the basins of the Alvord Desert and Malheur Lake, thereby traveling 

 about 700 miles between July 17 and August 30. In furtherance of 

 these investigations, Hon. J. P. Irish and Mr. John Gilcrest, superin- 

 tendent of the Miller and Lux and the Pacific Live Stock companies' 

 interests in Nevada and Oregon, furnished transportation, guides, 

 and living expenses for the party for practically the entire trip from 

 Winnemucca, Nev., to Ontario, Oreg. ; and to both Mr. Irish and Mr. 

 Gilcrest we are greatly indebted for courtesies shown during the trip. 

 Acknowledgment is also here made to the Bureau of Soils of this 

 Department for the analysis of soil samples collected on the trip. 



F. Lamson-Scribner, 



Agrostologist. 



Grass and Forage Plant Investigations, 



Washington, D. 0., November 29 ', 1901. 



