The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-12-04
WAYS Of OBSERVING
RANGE CONDITIONS

The Ogden office of the Forest
Service sends out a letter which is
much like one OF the addresses de-
lived at the recent meeting in Winnie
mucca Of the Nevada Livestock As
sociation. The topic treated is Plants
Which Indicate Range Improvement
or Depletion"
Overgrazing and the cropping of
the forage without regard for the re-
quirements Of plant growth soon re-
suits in financial loss to the stock
man and often interferes seriously
with the development and preserva-
tion of other resources of the forest.
1t is therefore of the greatest i'm
portance to recognize overgrazing be-
fore the injury to the range has be-
come serious.
1t is a we'll established fact that as
the more palatable plants are killed
by overgrazing species usually not
grazed by stock readily take the place
of the desirable forage plants. Prac-
tically everywhere in the west per-
ennial grasses, or those that grow
year after year from the same root.
are the most valuable as forage for
all classes of stock. These perennial
plants differ widely in form of growth
and forage value from such plants as
Douglas knotweed and certain mus
tards which readily give way to the
perennial grasses when the latter are
grazed moderately or are permitted
to develop undisturbed.
On the high forest ranges of the
intermountain region the wheat
grasses constitute not only the high
est and most permanent type of vege-
tation, but for cattle and horses they
are probably the most valuable. When
this type of vegetation is overgrazed
such plants as porcupine grass or
needlegrass, and certain shrubs like
/ yCitO" Di hSh, anu q VI pCICCA-
nial weeds, like lupine and mountain
sunflower, replace the wheat grasses.
Where overstocking and too fire.
quent grazing is continued, the por-
| cupine grass-yellowbrush cover is
soon killed out and those plants are
replaced by such species as sweet
| cage, blue foxglove. rubberweed,
| death camas. and other poisonous or
otherwise Objectionable species. If
destructive grazing is continued fur
ther, this mixed weed type soon gives
way to a number of annual plants
which have practically no forage
value. When the range reaches this
stage, erosion becomes very serious
and the soil is then capable of pro-
ducing only a small amount of infe-
rior herbage.
| Thus we have the story in nut
shell of the natural stages Of the de-
pletion of the vegetation from the
highest and most desirable wheat
grass type to the complete destruc-
ton Of the palatable forage. BY thus
noting what changes are taking place
in the plant cover from year to year
one can readily determine whether
the range is improving. being de-
pleted. or is merely holding its own
in competition with the stock which
is grazed upon it.
In addition to the replacement of
| inferior plants for the more desirable
kinds, overgrazing is indicated by the
presence of dead or partly dead
stumps of palatable shrubs, such as
willow. snowberry. and bitterbrush.
Overgrazing also is indicated by dam
age done to tree reproduction. which
ordinarily is only moderately pala-
| table to stock. Barrenness and seri-
Gus erosion are. of course, the final
result OF continued overgrazing.