its strong rhizoinatous character, ,r ou have a well nigh perfect 

 grass for sites on which it will grow. On the Navajo Reservation 

 east of the Chuska Mountains this is probably the dominant grass 

 and one that is coining in abundantly on the fenced areas along the 

 highway between Gallup and Shiprock, New Mexico. Mexican Springs 

 reports it to be much more palatable for sheep and goats than 

 Agrop yron smithii, another very important grass in this region. 

 In the hi If or d region of southern Utah on areas heavily overgrazed 

 by sheep, this grass shows a more rapid recovery than probably any 

 other of that region. If given a chance it could be expected to 

 relieve the severe erosion during flood time in southern Utah, 

 It should be remarked, also, that this grass is to be found in a 

 very wide range of conditions and soil types. It thrives best on 

 rather heavy soil that gets some overflow. 



Collecting seed of this species offers a problem. Often 

 beautifully headed grass is very short in caryepscs, the grass is 

 commonly spcrsc or, the ground, and the stands arc scattering. The 

 growth of this species adjacent to irrigation ditches at Shiprock 

 suggests the desirability of planting and irrigating it for seed 

 production. Five acres have been planted at Shiprock for seed 

 production, 



♦H ilar i mutica, Tobosa. In the southern part of our range 

 tobosa occupies sites comparable to those occupied by II. janesii in 

 northern New Mexico and Arizona, It is somewhat more confined, how- 

 ever, to the heavy soils along swales which receive overflow during 

 the rainy season. It is poorly appreciated by stockmen and perhaps 

 by Soil Conservation Service men because of its extreme abundance 

 and its habit of forming masses of old dry leaves and dense clumps 

 which make the ground rough, A careful study in the management of 

 ranges on which it occurs might greatly increase the appreciation 

 of this species. Its erosion control value cannot be questioned 

 but it is highly probable that proper grazing and treatment of 

 these lands would increase both the erosion control value and for- 

 age value. Mr. Riggs, proprietor of the Riggs Ranch out of Villi cox, 

 Arizona, reports this species to be one of the most valuable on his 

 range. It seems likely that system tic discing of the land would 

 prevent the formation of dense clumps and help the grass to spread 

 to the low places caused by stock paths and water courses. 



This grass has short i-hizom.es but does not spread as widely 

 by them as does E. ja mcsi i. The collection of seed is not difficult 

 in fields that are smootl: "enough to permit the use of power or 

 horse-drawn strippers. "Jhile the growing of this species in the 

 nursery is hardly desirable, it seems likely that much greater 

 •".mounts of seed and seed of a much higher grade could be obtained 



