Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-16
FOREST SERVICE TO
IMPROVE ALFILARIA
TAKES UP CULTURE OF DES-
ERT PLANT
Seed with High terminating Power to
Be Distributed for Reclamation
of Barren or oVergrazed
Areas

In connection with the bureau of
plant industry of the department of
agriculture, the forest service has been
carrying on series of experiments
relative to the reseeding of overgrazed
areas on the national forests in the
west.
Among other important forage plants
selected for experimental work is the
common alfilaria (erodium cicutarium)
of the southwestern desert country.
This splendid forage plant grows all
over the deserts of Southern California,
Arizona and New Mexico, and fur
nishes one of the best plants for fat
tening live stock, especially sheep,
known to the stockmen. 1t grows in
the early spring when green feed is
most desirable and in few weeks will
cover the desert with a rich green
blanket until 1t looks almost like an
alfalfa field.
The plant generally reaches a max
imum height of from eight to ten
inches inside of six weeks and in six
weeks more has all died down and
blown away, leaving the ground as
bare as a floor. The seeds of this plant
have been carried from California in
the wool of migrating sheep into the
adjoining states, but while it will grow
at high attitudes, 1t does not reach any
great height above an elevation of
5000 feet.
The first obstacle the government
experts ran against was the impossi-
bility of obtaining seed in the open
markets that would germinate The
seed commands a high price and is
difficult to obtain, but of samples pur-
chased from various seed houses the
terminating power was never higher
than 13 per cent, and the average of
several samples was about per cent.
Expert Studies Plant
In order to determine, If possible,
where the fault lay in the non-germ-
mating power of the seeds purchased
the forest service sent one of its plant
experts, Arthur w. Simpson, into the
field in Southern California, where al
filarla was known to be most abundant,
with orders to gather seed of this plant
and make a careful study of the con-
ditions governing it's growth.
This has been done, and 1t is very
evident that If the seed can be gathered
at the proper time and under proper
conditions 1t will have a hig germ
mating power. Samples of the seed
gathered by Mr.. Sampson showed
termination of over 81 per cent, which
is certainly high enough to be satisfac-
tory to any purchaser. Mr. Sampson
has been able to outline a method Of
gathering this seed by which one man
can gather a very large amount with
very little trouble.
Enough of the seed can be easily Sc
cured with a high germinative power
with which to make experimental
paintings on several OF the national
forests where this plant would mako
an admirable addition to the local
forage supply.
Alfilaria, under normal conditions.
seems TO be best in n soil composed
mostly of decomposed granite, but It
is believed it will flourish in most light
sandy soils where there Is sufficient
moisture In the early spring to start
the growth.
Now that the forest service has
shown how to gather the seeds there
is no doubt but that the local seed men
viii avail themselves of the experiment
and that in future the grade of seed !
sold by seed men will be of a much bet |
ter germinative strength.