10 BULLETIN 1031, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The blackbrush-creosote bush type, composed mainly of a stand 
of these two brush species with an under cover of grass, occupies 
the level to slightly rolling area where clay to gravelly loam soils 
predominate. This type varies from the blackbrush phase with an 
under cover of tobosa grass, burro grass, and saltgrass on the more 
compact clay soil to the creosote-bush phase with bush grass, grama 
grass, and low tridens on the drier, more gravelly slopes and ridges. 
Although the latter are yearlong range grasses, the occurrence of 
this phase of the blackbrush-creosote bush type is too limited to 
segregate it from the summer range for grazing. 
Tobosa grass is the most important forage plant in the three sum- 
mer types, since it is the most palatable and abundant of the grasses 
and the brush species are worthless as forage. Soon after the grow- 
ing season this grass becomes dry and unpalatable to cattle, and if 
not grazed before that time most of it is wasted. In fact fairly close 
grazing of this species is essential during the growing season; other- 
wise the dead material remaining interferes with utilization of new 
growth the following year. Close grazing during the growing 
season does not easily injure tobosa grass because of its underground 
method of revegetation, the compact soil it occupies, and the rapidity 
and rankness of its growth. The burro grass begins growth early 
and has its main value as forage before other vegetation has greened; 
after that time it is grazed but little. The saltgrass is another early 
feed, but, like tobosa grass, 1s of little value after it stops growth. 
These conditions and the high carrying capacity of the tobosa grass 
type make these three types ideal for summer grazing in the South- 
west. 
USE OF THE AREA PRIOR TO RESERVATION. 
Prior to 1912 a number of individuals had attempted to develop 
water in wells and establish ranches on the land now within the re- 
serve. The difficulty and cost of sinking deep wells, the prevalence 
of droughts, and severe losses discouraged the small owners and their 
range rights were eventually purchased by a single owner.’ This 
7The range rights on this area were purchased previous to 1911 by Mr. C. T. Turney, 
who is cooperating with the Forest Service in carrying on the studies. At the time of 
the creation of the reserve the 200,J00-acre range unit was conceded to Mr. Turney by 
neighboring stockmen under common or range rights established by the purchase of prior 
rights and improvements of other owners and the construction of watering places on 
unused range. He leases all State lands and owns private lands around most. of the 
wells. The Government furnishes the public lands under reservation. The experiments 
are planned by the Government and the stockman, and carried out according to agreement. 
All fencing, water development, and other construction work, as well as extra labor in 
handling stock for experimental purposes, are paid by the cooperator in lieu of grazing 
fees on the Government land. The Government furnishes the men to keep proper records 
of all experiments, to aid in the planning of new investigations, and to see that the work 
is properly conducted. Prior to the coming of Mr. Turney to this part of the county 
there had been no successful wells put down on the Jornada del Muerto plain except one 
very shallow well near Aleman, N. Mex. This broad expanse of dry plain even won 
