36 STOCK BADGES OF NORTHWESTERN CALIFORNIA. 



Colonel Harding states that small barley grass (locally called fox- 

 tail) was brought in by sheep, being observed first along their tracks. 



The questions, then, arise, what were the components of the primi- 

 tive vegetation which occupied the place of the present alien flora; 

 how did it compare with the latter as regards forage valne, and what 

 new species came in, became prevalent, and then gave place to others. 



The earlier floras appear to have been composed of plants more gen- 

 erally acceptable to stock than the weed} 7 species now prevailing, 

 otherwise they would scarcely have given such complete place to alien 

 species. In other words, if they had not been highly palatable to 

 stock they would not have been "eaten out," and if the adventive 

 species had been equally palatable they could scarcely have acquired 

 a foothold under the system of heavy stocking which has prevailed. 



Few residents in this region are sufficiently familiar with plants to 

 define the actual changes in the flora which take place over a period 

 of years. Some, however, have noticed the change in composition of 

 the range feed. Mr. Bell, Mr. Joseph H. Clarke, and others state 

 that danthonia and other "bunch grasses," wild oats, alfilerilla, 

 clovers, wild-pea vines (Lathyrus sp.), and wild sunflower (Wyethia 

 sp.) were formerly the most abundant plants on the ranges. All 

 these, they state, have been materially reduced in quantity or have 

 disappeared altogether, and in their places squirrel tail, small barley 

 grass, and soft chess have become established since they settled in the 

 county. These statements are in part confirmed by Menefee, who, 

 writing in 1873, says of this section of Mendocino County: 



The soil is * * * covered with a rich growth of clover, wild oats, bunch 

 grass, and rosin weed or wild sunflower. 



All of the above-named plants are now relatively scarce. 



Wild oats and alfilerilla were not, however, the primitive forage 

 plants, for the} 7 also are aliens, natives of the Mediterranean region, 

 their introduction into California probably dating from the Spanish 

 occupation. Being adventive, they too must have replaced other 

 plants which were probably native in the sense of not having been 

 introduced through the agency of man or his domestic animals, since 

 we have no records of immigration earlier than that of the Mission 

 Fathers. 



On account of their wide distribution in the State, and their abun- 

 dance and prevalence in the fifties, man} 7 persons have refused to 

 believe that wild oats and alfilerilla could be other than native to the 

 soil; even Bolander, writing in the earl} 7 sixties, was inclined to believe 

 that they must be native alike in southern Europe and California. To 

 anyone who has watched the rapid spread of alien weeds in the rich 

 soil and favorable climate of this State, and has observed one alien 

 graduall} 7 give place to others, the century and a quarter which has 

 elapsed since the Spanish occupation will appear none too short to 

 witness the occupation of the whole State by such prolific plants as 



