CONDITION AND PLANTS OF THE RANGE, eg 
annuals (Hestwea microstachya and LF. octoflora) of less value are found 
on these benches especially, but are also scattered more or less through- 
out the region. | 
At the present time the forage plants other than grasses are of little 
consequence. As sheep are introduced the shrubbery and weedy plants 
will be utilized to a greater extent, as they are elsewhere in open- 
range regions; even the clovers appear to be of little consequence here. 
It must be stated, however, that the observations were made entirely too 
early in the season to estimate the value of this class of vegetation. 
Even in the Kittitas Valley and the Wenatchee Mountains, where these 
plants are of considerable importance, both as hay and pasture, the 
season was not far enough advanced to enable one to judge of their 
value. The black sunflower (Wyethia amplexicautis), balsam root 
(Balsamorrhiza sagittata and LB. careyana) are utilized for pasture to 
some extent, especially by horses. These plants are of most impor- 
tance, however, in the region lying to the southwest, especially the 
Kittitas and Wenas valleys. On the range they are often grazed quite 
closely by sheep, but all finde of stock feed on the flower heads and 
the fruit wherever they are found. 
The Big Bend region ie presents a great diversity of condi- 
tions. Some of it is covered with an almost pure growth of bunch 
wheat grass, while other areas have a mixture of fescues and blue- 
orasses, and still others have but little grass and are covered with a 
heavy growth of sagebrush. Part of the area is still open range, 
while part is systematically handled; consequently this locality pre- 
‘sents the greatest diversity in feed conditions. On all the unprotected 
range visited the feed was very short. The greatest amount of unpro- 
tected country seen was in the vicinity of the mouth of the Palouse 
River, where there was practically no grass, and even plantain (/7/an- 
tago purshit) was extensively grazed in places. Along Cow Creek, 
however, where the grazing lands are on ‘‘scab” between two wheat 
regions and for the most part are under private control, there was a 
very evident difference between the open-range and the fenced areas. 
In that part of the high plateau between the Columbia River and the 
Grand Coulee which we visited there was excellent feed, owing to the 
recent invasion of that portion of the country by the syle: at grower 
and the inaccessibility of the remaining range to the general range 
herds. The grasses here are practically the same as those on the Col- 
ville Reservation. Here, however, there is but little shrubbery, the - 
aren being a rolling table-land, covered with a luxuriant growth of 
bunch wheat grass, Nevada and Wheeler’s bluegrasses, sheep fescue, 
and prairie June grass. In places there was some black sage (Arte- 
misia tridentata) and rayless golden-rod (Ligelovia graveolens) scattered 
over the lower areas and sides of ravines, but the sagebrush was not 
25974—No. 38—- 
