26 
istic plants of the heavy west-slope forests and a favorite food plant 
of the sheep. 
Valerian (Valeriana sitchensis)—A common plant of moist open 
slopes and burns in the west-slope forests, closely eaten by sheep. 
Vancouveria (Vancouveria hexandra).—A herbaceous plant of the 
heavy west-slope forests, very much liked by sheep, and, so far as 
could be learned, not distinguished by a popular name. 
Vine maple (Acer circinatum).—This is one of the favorite browsing 
shrubs of sheep, and grows in abundance in the heavy west-slope 
forests. We did not meet with it south of the Mount Hood range dis- 
trict. 
Wild eat grass (Stipa).—This is one of the characteristic grasses of 
fire-glades in the lodgepole pine forests. Sheep graze upon it, but 
it is not considered good feed. 
Wild cheat (Bromus breviaristatus.)—A favorite grass common in 
burns in the heavy west-slope forests. 
Wild tansy (Achillea millefolium).—A favorite feed of sheep, found 
in a great variety of situations, usually in open ground. It is very 
eagerly sought after by the sheep in spring, but later in the season it 
becomes dry and less palatable. 
Willow (Salix).—Many species of willow grow in the Cascades and 
the leaves and twigs of most of them are eaten rather readily by sheep. 
Salia nuttallii is a characteristic species of burns in the heavy west- 
slope forests. The others grow chiefly in meadows and along streams. 
Wire grass (Juncus balticus).—This plant, which grows in meadows, 
is eaten by sheep, but not with much relish. 
EFFECTS OF OVERGRAZING. . 
The effect of a moderate amount of grazing on the lands of the 
reserve is the same as the effect of the judicious removal of a grass 
crop from a fenced pasture by grazing or from a meadow by cutting; 
namely, that a forage crop is secured without material detriment to the 
land and the herbaceous vegetation it bears. The expression ‘a mod- 
erate amount of grazing” is used advisedly; for there is not the 
slightest question that in many countries of the Old World and in some 
localities of the United States overgrazing is a serious injury to the 
forage crop and to the young growth of forests. By ‘‘a moderate 
amount of grazing” is meant grazing only to such an extent that the 
forage crop does not decrease from year to year. In general, over- 
grazing in the Cascades has only been begun, or perhaps the facts are 
better expressed by the statement that up to the present time over- 
grazing is limited to a few areas in a part of the Mount Hood district 
and a part of the Three Sisters district. For example, a small range 
on the west slope of the Cascades near Mount Washington, containing 
an area of about a section, formerly maintained a band of sheep eight 
