between years in onset of flowering was 22 days for early-blooming species and only 12 days 

 for late-blooming species. Onset of flowering was generally about 1 week later on northeast 

 than on southwest exposures and about 20 days later at 8,200 ft. than at 7,100 ft. , although 

 flowering time varies considerably between species. 



The average time between cessation of flowering and start of seed dissemination was 

 as short as 5 days for Delphinium and more than 40 days for Anemone , Besseya , and Frit- 

 illaria. Early -blooming species averaged 36 days and late-blooming species only 17 days. 

 Generally, the grasses began seed dissemination between 18 and 20 days following flowering. 



Drying times differed greatly between species. Generally, those that bloomed early 

 dried earlier than those that bloomed later, but there were exceptions. The maximum differ- 

 ence between years in drying dates ranged from 19 days for the early-blooming forbs to 39 

 days for the grasses. 



Average duration of the growth period at the 7,100-ft. elevation ranged from 62 days 

 for Dodecatheon to 147 days for Danthonia. Differences between years in the duration of the 

 growth period were as great as 28 days for the combined forbs and 43 days for the combined 

 grasses. The average duration of the growth period for species common to both elevations 

 was 103 days at 7, 100 ft. and 94 days at 8, 200 ft. 



Herbage production on southwest exposures was generally less than that on northeast 

 exposures, averaging 58 percent of that on the northeast exposure at the 7,100-ft. elevation 

 and 90 percent at 8, 200 ft. The relative proportions of graminoid to forb production was in- 

 consistent between both exposures and elevations. 



Yearly variations in herbage production were almost twice as great on northeast as they 

 were on southwest exposures. Production of forbs varied more than that of graminoids. Rel- 

 ative variations in production for individual species were usually greater than for vegetation 

 classes and totals. 



A positive correlation existed betwen May precipitation and herbage production. A 

 negative correlation existed between maximum temperatures of the shaded soil surface in 

 June and July and herbage production. A multiple regression equation, utilizing a combina- 

 tion of five weather measurements, was developed that predicts total herbage production 

 with an of 0. 86. Similar equations, utilizing different combinaUons of weather measure- 

 ments, were developed that predict total yield of forbs having an R of 0- 74 and total yield of 

 graminoids having an R^ of 0.52. 



