AUSTRALIAN SALTBUSH. 9 
On account of its high salt content the Australian saltbush is not 
as palatable as most ordinary forage, but it is eaten readily by sheep, 
goats, cattle, and horses when other forage is scarce. By reason 
of its nonpalatability it is avoided early in the season when other 
forage is plentiful, and thus is available in a green state later in the 
summer when most other plants have become entirely dry. Its 
ability to furnish succulent feed which serves as a reserve supply 
in late summer seems to constitute the real value of this plant. It 
is not sufficiently drought resistant to grow in areas where other and 
better forage plants will not succeed, and for this reason its use must 
be confined to the more favorable regions where it will serve as a 
reserve supply in late summer, as already indicated. 
To be of the greatest value the Australian saltbush must be sup- 
_ plemented with other feeds. If fed alone stock will eat it only in 
limited quantities on account of its high salt content, and for the 
same reason when eaten in large quantity it is more or less injurious 
to animals. 
SEEDING ON RANGE LANDS. 
There is but little information regarding the best practice in seeding 
the Australian saltbush on pasture and range lands. However, in 
view of the fact that under natural conditions the seed ripens in the 
fall and drops to the ground soon afterward, it would seem that fall 
seeding may well be practiced. It is possible that spring seeding 
may give good results under conditions where weeds or competing 
plants are not abundant, but where winter-growmg annuals have 
already made a good growth and summer annuals are beginning 
erowth it is not likely that this saltbush will have much chance to 
establish itself. 
The only thing that can be done economically is to scatter the seed 
broadcast in favorable locations and allow it to take care of itself. 
If it will not grow and reseed itself under such conditions it can not 
be used profitably for range purposes. 
SEEDING UNDER CULTIVATION. 
In growing the Australian saltbush under cultivation the best 
time for seeding is in the spring, about the time that corn ordinarily 
would be planted. The land should be well prepared, as for any 
other small-seeded crop, by plowing and subsequent harrowings. 
Care should be taken to cover the seed very shallow. Seed planted 
deep will not germinate, and for this reason it is necessary to have 
good moisture conditions at the surface, so that shallow-planted 
seed will receive enough moisture to insure germination. The 
planting should be made in rows about 34 feet apart, and culti- 
vation should be given as for any ordinary field crop planted in 
rows. 
