4 BULLETIN 617, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
crop of seed. It is probable that this saltbush has been but recently 
introduced into the Salinas Valley, which may account for its lack 
of abundance at present. ; 
The climatic and other conditions in the coastal region in California 
seem to be especially favorable to the Australian saltbush, and it is 
found almest everywhere from Santa Barbara toSan Diego. (Fig. 3.) 
It generally extends inland a distance of 10 to 15 miles, but is found in 
small quantities at much greater distances. At Highlands, which is 
about 45 miles from the coast and due east of Los Angeles, it occurs 
in considerable quantity and is domg well. At Corona, which is 
about 25 miles from the coast, it is found in abundance. 
From general observations it would seem that the Australian salt- 
bush is confined to areas with somewhat favorable soil-moisture 
conditions. On the extremely dry areas, on the lower levels as well 
Fig. 3.—The Australian saltbush growing along a roadside fence near San Diego, Calif. 
as at higher elevations, it is not found. Along the immediate coast 
in the fog belt it does extremely well, which apparently is due to the 
fact that the fog supplies the moisture essential to its growth. 
While the present distribution of this saltbush is confined almost 
exclusively to the lower altitudes, it occurs in small quantity at an 
altitude of 1,800 feet near Alpine, Calif., and at 1,400 feet near 
Ramona, Calif. It is probable that temperature and moisture condi- 
tions rather than altitude determine the limits of growth of this plant; 
however, observations on this point are very limited. 
In the upper San Joaquin Valley the Australian saltbush occurs in 
abundance, but its distribution in this region is confined to irrigated 
or semi-irrigated lands. For somemiles west of Bakersfield and extend- 
ing northwest of Wasco and east to Famosa it is found in practically 
