38 STOCK KANGES OF NORTHWESTEKN CALIFORNIA. 



It thus appears that these same clovers and other annual plants and 

 the same perennial " bunch-grasses," which are now but sparingly 

 found, were in former times the common plants of the open range, 

 and that the species now most abundant, including alfilerilla and 

 also wild oats, were unknown here before the Spanish occupation of 

 California. 



The following conclusions, therefore, were accepted: 



1. The primitive forage plants were the "'bunch-grasses" (Dan- 

 thonias, Stipas, Melicas, Poas, and perennial Festucas), with annual 

 and perennial clovers, Avild pea vines and wild sunflowers; these were 

 much more abundant in former times than now, and on account of 

 their palatableness they largely disappeared with overstocking. 



2. With the advent of white settlers and their domestic animals, 

 wild oats aud alfilerilla (Erodium cicutarium) took possession of the 

 country; these increased in relative abundance as the native forage 

 plants became scarce; as the latter diminished in quantity cattle took 

 to eating the former until they in like manner succumbed, while 

 other plants took their places. 



3. Small barley grass, squirrel tail, and soft chess were among 

 the next weedy introductions; the two former, when in a maturing 

 condition being disliked by cattle, have had a chance to spread and 

 cover the ranges, but cattle having acquired a taste for soft chess, 

 it is being kept in check, if not diminishing, on closely grazed ranges. 



4. A third immigration is now taking place, in which musky alfile- 

 rilla (Erodium moschalum), broncho grass (B ramus ma.ximusgussoni), 

 barley grass (Hordeum m urin um, locally called fox-tail), tacalote ( Cen- 

 taurea melitensis), hawkbit (Hypocliceris glabra), bur-clover (Jledi- 

 cago deuiiculata), and other weeds are establishing themselves along 

 the roadsides and around ranch houses. Of these, the bur-clover, and 

 the musky alfilerilla, have some forage value. Barley grass is eaten 

 green in the spring before heading out, but afterwards becomes one of 

 the most objectionable weeds for a stock range. The other aliens 

 are destined to cause irreparable injury to the ranges unless kept in 

 check and prevented from becoming firmly established. 



RAXGE DETERIORATION. 



Primary cause. — Range deterioration is traceable to the desire to 

 make as much off the land as possible, coupled with two mistaken 

 ideas: (1) That a range can continue to carry the maximum number 

 of stock without deterioration year after year without any rest; (2) 

 that in order to get the most out of a range in a given period of time 

 it must be stocked to its maximum carrying capacity. 



By maximum carrying capacity is meant the highest possible num- 

 ber of stock that the range will turn off in good condition at selling 

 time, without taking into account the condition of the range itself; 

 in other words, it has reference purely to the present crop of stock, 



