GRW.INEAE 



not been necessary to apply a hay mulch to obtain these results. 

 I Ir « Hamilton, Regional Agronomist, suggests an experiment in seed- 

 ing range land with the grass by permitting the seeds which are 

 very light, to be blown about during a heavy wind storm. He be- 

 lieves the seed will lodge at the base of bushes and germinate 

 there. If such a method proves feasible and sufficient seed can 

 be produced, there may be a chance to rejuvenate some of our old Hoe 

 Grass ranges. 



As it is much easier to obtain seed from nursery grown plants 

 than from those growing in brush or on the range,' a patch of about 

 two acres has boon established on the nursery at Tucson and three 

 acres at tho Gaff ord Nursery* "While many of the plants arc small 

 it seems evident that wc shall soon, have excellent stands and we 

 shall be able to obtain seed from them* As the plant seeds for 

 several months, the ripening is similarly drawn out, making the col- 

 lection of seed slow and difficult. The seed, too, are so small 

 that threshing is all but impossible. These difficulties have led 

 to the practice of raking out the tops with the contained inflores- 

 cences and running them through a rubbing machine which breaks up 

 the heads and tops. Instead of attempting to get the pure caryopscs 

 tho entire mass of macerated material is used in seeding. The fine 

 broken up hay is spread out on the areas where seeding is desired, 

 the hay forming a protective mulch. Promising results have been 

 obtained in this way. 



Special emphasis should be placed on the erosion control 

 value of this grass* A. ,7* Bayer in writing about the erosion pro- 

 blem in the Thornveld in South Africa, emphasizes the apparent fact 

 that trees in arid regions often promote, instead of retard, erosion. 

 This seems to be the case in some sections of the southwest where 

 mesquite growth has become so abundant that grasses are precluded. 

 VShile doubtless it will be difficult to establish this grass in 

 dense stands of mesquite, it secr.s to have distinct ability to grow 

 in these bushes where the stands are not too dense and, according 

 to observation of ranchmen, and others, frequently to cause their 

 death. The erosion control value of the grass is doubtless greater 

 than that of the tree or shrub. 



It should, be mentioned that a. part of tho difficulty experi- 

 enced in raising this grass comes from the persistent habit of jack 

 rabbits in eating up the plants before they become established. 

 Thus far we have resorted to poisoning rather than enclosing the areas 

 in rabbit-proof fence. ' 



* r T uh len borg i.' pungens, Blowout muhly. It is probable that 

 much of the Navajo Indian Reservation now covered more or less 



-26- 



