COMPOS ITAE 



♦Art emisia frigida is probably much more important than stock- 

 men and ecologists credit it with being. It is low, has an extensive 

 system of rhizomatous roots which are effective in binding the soil 

 and it is quite palatable to stock, particularly sheep. It with- 

 stands grazing remarkably well. The condemnation is that it is an 

 undoubted indication of overgrazing. On well regulated ranges it 

 tends to disappear. Its use is to be recommended as a soil binder 

 and a forerunner of grama grass and western wheat grass where the 

 grass cover has nearly or completely disappeared. 



Other sages of very similar nature to A. frig ida are A. 

 kansana, which is particularly abundant in the Capitan foothills, 

 and *A. wrightii, in the Mule Crook and Black Range sections of Hew 

 Mexico. The latter is unquestionably one of the best soil binders 

 occupying sandy stream bottoms and extending far up the slopes. Its 

 rhizomatous roots hold the soil very effectively. It is apparently 

 rather unpalatable raid extensive stands indicate an overgrazed 

 condition. Another one to be classed with this group is A^ ludovi- 

 ciana. One place where it is abundant is in Cimarron Canyon in New 

 Hex! CO. 



Artemisia gnaphaloid.es is much less common with us than the 

 species mentioned above. It has a good rhizomatous root system, 

 is browsed to som.c extent and has been used, according to Dr. E. F. 

 Castetter of the University of New Mexico, by the Indians for 

 decades to poison insects. 



*Baccharis glutinosa, Batamote or Seep Willow. Mr, Hamilton, 

 Regional Agronomist in Region 8, declares that this is one of the 

 best erosion control plants in the Gila water shed. Its use i.3 

 confined to valleys and bottoms where there is considerable moisture. 

 It occupies the banks of the streams next to land that is likely to 

 be most heavily eroded and even invades the rocky bottoms themselves, 

 thus serving to cause the silt and rocks to become deposited. An 

 advantage in its use is that it is easily propagated by cuttings. 

 Only the stomach of a Jackass, however, can tolerate it as food. 



We have, other species of Baccharis. Two of these, 3. emoryi 

 and B. sarothroides , are tall shrubs interesting only as possible 

 ornamentals. B Ti thes io ides is fair forage but Is not very abundant 

 and is hardly to be classed as valuable for erosion control. * B. 

 wrigh tii has passed out of the picture in many places because of 

 heavy grazing. Stock seem to prefer it to grass or most other 

 browse. It is not of much value for soil erosion control but its 

 high forage value, its extreme drought resistance (it is found in 

 some regions where the rainfall is less than five inches), arid the 

 fact that it is readily propagated by cuttings, make it a plant to 

 be considered in the warmer sections of cur territory where graz- 

 ing can be regulated. 



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