32 STOCK EANGES OF NOETHWESTEEN CALIFOENIA. 



californica, 31. harfordii, Stipa lemmoni, Sitanion multisetum, S. 

 planifolium, Elymus gloucus, species of Poa, Festuca, Broinus carina- 

 tus, and occasionally Festuca ovina being the only ones collected. 

 Lotus americanus and occasionally a clump of "deer brush" (Ceano- 

 thus integerrimus) are the only plants met with, other than grasses, 

 which are known to be of forage value. 



The individuals of these forage plants are so few and far apart as 

 to afford only the scantiest pickings for animals, and the brush is 

 usually so dense that stock can penetrate it only with difficulty. 



Under these circumstances a piece of chaparral is naturally consid- 

 ered so much waste ground, being not only unproductive or almost 

 entirely so, but, on account of the poverty of the soil, not worth the 

 cost of clearing. 



SUBALPIXE MEADOWS. 



In the Trinity and Inner Coast Range mountains subalpine mead- 

 ows are occasionally met with at an altitude of about 6,500 feet, 

 which resemble to a considerable extent those of the Sierra Nevada, 

 not only in physical and climatical features but also in phytological 

 aspect. 



I had opportunity to visit a group of such meadows on Trinity Sum- 

 mit, to the east of Hupa Valley, between June 21 and 23, 1899, but 

 found that it was still too early in the season to find any but the 

 earliest spring flowers in blossom — Salix, Bibes, Erythronium, Frasera, 

 Kalmia, etc. With the exception of llelica spectabilis the grasses 

 and sedges which form a dense turf on the alluvial soils in hollows 

 just below the peaks were just commencing their new growth, and 

 in many places were still under snow. Appearances indicated, how- 

 ever, that here at last we had found patches of the primitive flora 

 still almost entirely unadulterated by admixtures of alien species. 

 The meadows are so completely isolated from the distant valleys 

 and lower grass-covered ridges by steep rocky chaparral ridges 

 and stretches of spruce and tan-oak forest, covering the whole of the 

 altitudinal distance of about 6,000 feet from the floor of Hupa Valley, 

 that it has proved difficult for aliens to cross this natural barricade. 

 A few specimens of sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosetta) were found in 

 open spots along the trail, and even on Trinity Summit, being appar- 

 ent^ the first of the alien horde to reach those grazing grounds. It 

 will be interesting from an ecological standpoint to watch whether 

 other species succeed in following this irrepressible and pernicious 

 weed. 



As the growth of vegetation in these subalpine meadows is later 

 than that at lower altitudes, on account of lower temperature and 

 consequent persistence of snow, they are valuable adjuncts to the 

 stock ranges, providing green pasturage for several weeks after the 

 upland ranges at lower altitudes are dry and brown. 



