PLANT SUCCESSION AND RANGE MANAGEMENT.- 19 
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PALATABILITY. 
The wheat grasses of the high mountain range afford a large 
amount of first-class forage for all classes of stock. However, the 
herbage of the wheat grasses as a whole, especially after the plants 
have reached maturity, is of only average palatability compared with 
the finer-leaved genera of grasses, such as the blue grasses (Poa) 
and fescues (Festuca) of a lower successional stage. When green and 
succulent the leafage is cropped rather closely by cattle, sheep, and 
horses; but as the plants reach full growth the leafage of some of 
the species becomes somewhat harsh. At that stage cattle and horses 
devour the herbage less closely than when the plants are young, 
leaving the rather coarse seed stalks practically untouched. Sheep, 
on the other hand, crop only a relatively small proportion of the 
herbage of the maturing or matured plant, but in general eagerly 
consume the seed heads of the awnless or slightly awned species. 
Like the majority of the congeneric species, small wheat grass 
when green and tender is eaten closely by all classes of stock. As 
the plant approaches maturity, however, the leafage becomes rough 
on the upper side, and only cattle and horses graze upon it to an 
appreciable extent. The palatability of the wheat grasses through- 
out the season being taken into account, small wheat grass affords the 
least feed of any under discussion in proportion to the amount of dry 
matter produced. 
Of the bunch wheat grasses, slender wheat grass and violet wheat 
grass compare favorably as to palatability, both being grazed closely 
by all classes of stock. Blue bunch wheat grass is only slightly less 
palatable. All of these species are grazed with unusual eagerness 
by cattle, sheep, and horses early in the season. Toward the ap- 
proach of maturity the herbage, especially of blue bunch wheat 
grass, is consumed much less closely than early In the summer, and 
the seed stalks of all species are left practically untouched. With 
the exception of blue bunch wheat grass, the spike of which is con- 
spicuously awned, the seed heads are grazed with avidity and with 
good results to stock. 
FORAGE PRODUCTION. 
The largest amount of dry matter, exclusive of the unpalatable 
flower stalks, is produced by the small wheat-grass type. This type, 
when permitted to develop normally, usually occupies the entire soil 
surface. Owing to its relatively low palatability after about August 
10, however, small wheat grass affords no more forage, season for 
season, than good stands of the bunched wheat grasses. Also on 
account of the lack of forage variety due to the practical exclusion 
of other plants, the small wheat-grass areas are not so well adapted 
to the grazing of sheep as are the bunch wheat-grass areas. 
