20 FORAGE CONDITIONS AND PROBLEMS. 
of the eriogonums (Arvogonum dichotomum, E. spherocephalum, and 
L£. thymoides),tetradymia ( Tetradymia canescens), audibertia( Audibertia 
incanda), gilia (Glia pungens), black sage (Artemisia arbuscula), and 
a little A. rzgida. Of these the eriogonums and Artem/sia rigida are 
of economic value. The former are especially useful as a browse for 
sheep, as undoubtedly nearly all of the species of this genus are when 
good feed is scarce. The herbaceous vegetation, aside from the grasses, 
consisted entirely of a scattering growth of Gayophytum ramosissimum 
and Lygodesmia juncea, both of which are of some importance as sheep 
feed. The grasses were few, scattering bunch wheat grass (Agropyron 
spicatum) being the most important, while there was an occasional 
bunch of needle grass (Stipa thurberiana) growing up through the 
bunches of shrubs. Fescue (/estuca microstachya) occurred in very 
small quantities, and some of the root leaves of Sandberg’s bluegrass 
(Pou sandbergii), were in evidence where protected by rocks. It is to 
be understood, of course, that the above represents the vegetation at 
the time of observation (July). In the spring there are other short- 
lived species which furnish some feed. On the better classes- of 
“scab” lands, along Cow Creek and south of Trinidad especially, 
sheep fescue and the bluegrasses (Pea nevadensis and P. wheelert) are 
more abundant. 
The condition of the feed in the Blue Mountains of Oregon was 
variable, eyen in areas where meteorological conditions as well as alti- 
tude are very similar. This is due entirely to the method of handling 
the ranges. In the vicinity of the mountain settlements where sheep 
are excluded the condition of the grazing lands is much better than in 
the open country. The ‘‘dead lines” established by the ranchers, 
usually on the watershed of the valley, although not always rigidly 
maintained, have done much to preserve the original vegetation, for 
it is not as closely eaten off by cattle, a few of which are possessed by 
every rancher, as by the immense flocks of sheep which are driven 
into these mountains from all directions. The great stretches of des- 
ert range almost surrounding these mountains furnish abundant winter 
pasturage for sheep, but the summer supply for the growing lambs in 
the mountains is comparatively limited. The Blue Mountains, there- 
fore, have been the battle ground of conflicting stock interests which 
have striven for the past twenty years for the major share of the free 
grass. The homesteader, by protecting smail tracts about him, has 
improved conditions wonderfully in limited areas. But those areas 
which are not subject to individual control have been so closely pas- 
tured that there is no more feed in some localities than on the deserts 
below. Plate V, figure 1, shows a moist meadow on the north slope 
of the mountains where there should be, and where there was formerly, 
a luxuriant growth of grasses, clovers, and sedges, but which is now 
all but barren of vegetation. A complete collection of the plants 
