tact in our work were much more conversant with the efforts of the Department 

 of Agriculture, and especially with those of the Division of Agrostology, than I 

 had expected from my previous experience in the field. This increased interest 

 appears due in part to the distribution of seed, but more especially to the distri- 

 bution of publications of the Division and correspondence relative to experiments 

 conducted. We found the ranchers and stockmen anxious to meet us and talk 

 over our work and the forage question in general. They wanted publications 

 and seeds for experiments. Even Bear Chief, at Family. Mont., wanted timothy 

 seed sent to him. At Kalispell. Montana, especially we found an intelligent, 

 lively interest in forage crops. Much material was brought in to us for identifi- 

 cation at this point. 



After finishing his work in Montana, Professor Griffiths proceeded 

 to southern Arizona, where he has succeeded in securing a large 

 amount of seed and a large and interesting collection of specimens 

 of the more valuable range grasses of that region. 



In Wyoming Mr. Elias kelson made collections of seeds in the 

 southeastern, southern, and southwestern portions of the State. He 

 secured seeds and roots of the most valuable native forage plants of 

 the arid and semiarid regions of that State, including a large 

 quantity of seeds of the native saltbushes, which furnish so large a 

 part of the forage of this region, especially during the winter. 



Regarding the interest shown in the work of the Division by the 

 stockmen and ranchmen of this region, we give the following quota- 

 tion from Mr. Nelson's report : 



Everywhere we were pleased to note how much the ranchmen appreciated the 

 work of the Division, while others were glad to learn of the investigations 

 which were being carried out. At other places a great interest was taken in 

 our work and the ranchers were quite ready to facilitate it in any way. The 

 work of the Division on forage plants for alkali soils has attracted considerable 

 attention in some districts, and certain ranchers have been interested bo far as 

 to undertake to cultivate the native saltbushes. Many ranchmen who were 

 situated on or near tracts of alkali land have come to recognize the forage value 

 of the native saltbushes. The owner of a large pasture in which one of the 

 saltbushes was the prominent vegetation, said that his cows mowed it off as if 

 it were clover. The investigations of the Division along this line are of par- 

 ticular interest to the stock raisers having alkali lands under fence. 



Mr. William Shear and myself carried on the work in Colorado. 

 A large quantity of seeds and roots were collected in the Arkansas 

 Valley, and also in the southern and southwestern portions of this 

 State. The western wheat-grass, which is perhaps the most impor- 

 tant native grass of the State, was found in groat abundance along 

 the right of way of the Atchison, Topeka, ami Santa Fe Railroad at 

 several points in the Arkansas Valley, especially at Rocky Ford. 

 Owing to tin 1 slight increase of the normal amount o( moisture 

 which the grass received from irrigated lands on both sides it pro- 

 duced an abundant crop o\' seeds. 



The very evident deterioration o( the ranges and meadows of the 

 Rocky Mountain region has compelled most o( the stockmen and 



