

PELLET SEEDING OX WESTERN RANGELAXDS 13 



disked and drilled to pelleted seed of Lehmann and weeping lo 

 grasses; and 4 acres were drilled to nonpelleted seed of Lehmann love- 

 grass and crested and western wheatgrasses. These seedings were 

 made at the same season as the large-scale plantings. 



Results 



Large-scale seeding. — Moisture was favorable in the fall of 1946, 

 but observations in 1947 failed to show any seeded plants on the 20,000 

 acres (Wagner, 1949; Wagner and Kinkor, 1950). Further observa- 

 tions in 1950, 1954, 1957, and 1961 also failed to show seeded plants. 



Experimental field seeding. — During October 1946, a few 

 scattered patches of Lehmann lovegrass were found in the drilled area. 

 The stand was extremely poor and spotty (Wagner, 1949). 



Hopi Indian Reservation, Arizona 



Two seedings were made on the Hopi Indian Reservation north of 

 Winslow, Ariz. Both areas were in the flood plains-grassland type 

 of vegetation in Keams Canyon — one on the Polacca waterspreading 

 area: the other on the Jeddito waterspreading area. Both areas were 

 depleted; the remaining vegetation was mainly western wheatgrass, 

 galleta, blue grama, Indian ricegrass, and various shrubs and weeds. 

 The soil is sand}'. Elevation of these flood plains is approximately 

 5,500 feet. 



Procedures 



In October and November 1946, 10,000 acres on the Polacca area 

 were seeded to crested and western wheatgrasses. In May and .June 

 of 1947, an additional 5,000 acres in the Polacca Valley and 5.000 acres 

 on the Jeddito waterspreading area were seeded to crested wheatgrass 

 and sand dropseed. All seedings were on unprepared seedbeds and 

 were made by airplane with compressed earthen pellets at the rate 

 one pellet per square foot. 



Results 



Two years after seeding, a scattering of crested wheatgrass was 

 found in a part of the Polacca area. Most of the plants were within 

 clumps of native galleta. Very few seeded plants had established 

 themselves on the bare soil surface (Wagner, 1949: Wagner and 

 Kinkor 1950). On the Jeddito area in 1954. sand dropseed and 

 western wheatgrass occurred in small amounts. As these are native 

 to the area, it is not known if they can be attributed to the pellet 

 seeding. In 1961 both areas were considered failures. 



G69605 0—63 3 



