Figure 9. — Typical quadrat near the Two Mile Strip. 



mature seeds. The Strip had been established 

 about 1911 following strong urging by a com- 

 mittee of two sheepmen, two cattlemen, and a 

 merchant representing the communities of 

 Orangeville and Castledale in Emery County. 

 This area, understandably, was in great need of 

 improvement; hence quadrats were established 

 here to determine to what extent the depleted 

 lands were naturally revegetating. Some quad- 

 rats were on steep slopes; some were on com- 

 paratively level ground; some were on south- 

 facing slopes; some on west-facing — harsh sites 

 in either case; some were on moderately grazed 

 areas; some on overgrazed; some on soils sup- 

 porting fairly dense plant associations; others 

 on sparse stands. 



In the initial year, not much could be done 

 beyond locating and marking the quadrats and 

 photographing some for future comparisons. 

 Even fencing had to be postponed until the fol- 

 lowing year. Director Sampson projected con- 

 siderable expansion of this project for subse- 



quent years, firm in the belief that the results 

 would be used in management of depleted 

 rangelands grazed by cattle and sheep. The very 

 slow recovery of depleted mountain grazing 

 lands was not yet realized; so he estimated com- 

 pletion of the project by 1918. 



ARTIFICIAL SEEDING 



Sampson recognized that natural seeding 

 might not accomplish rehabilitation on over- 

 grazed range adequately or quickly enough; 

 hence his plan for experiments in direct seeding 

 of denuded rangelands. The threefold objective 

 was to determine which species were best 

 adapted to local conditions, what time of the 

 year was best for seeding, and what cultural 

 methods should be employed. 



In the autumn of 1912, two experimental 

 areas, each with two plots, were planted to 

 timothy, Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass 

 (Dactylis glomerata), and smooth brome. One 



18 



