duce a small amount of viable seed, while those which have not been injured send up their flower stalks early, mature the seed crop before killing frosts occur in the autumn, and produce fertile seed. The data compiled relative to the life-history performances of the different forage species have made possible the adoption of what is known as the "deferred or rotation grazing system." This system provides for the deferment of grazing on an allotment until the seed crop has matured the size of the area to be protected depending, of course, upon the time at which the bulk of the seed crop ripens. Subsequent to complete revegetation, the area is grazed relatively early, thereby providing for the protection of a similar area elsewhere on the allotment without in any way jeopardizing the grazing interests or by wasting any part of the annual forage crop during the time required for revegetation. When the entire allotment has been thoroughly restocked, each portion, subdivision or camp is restricted from grazing but once in every three or four years, thus allowing the plants to maintain a maximum vigor and to provide an occasional seed crop, which is essential to the maintenance of a permanent stand. The details essential to revegetation by means of deferred and rotation grazing have been given in previous publications. 85154°-Bull. 545-17—8 TABLE 2.-Soil moisture requirements of native forage plants. Name of plant. Local. Scientific. Soil-water Class. Per cent. High huckleberry.. Small wild onion. Onion grass... Pine grass. Red bunch grass.. Rush.. Rush. Soft cheat. Spiked trisetum Short-awned bromegrass Tall bluegrass White foxtail. TABLE 3.-Time of flower-stalk production, time of seed maturity, and seed viability of the native forage plants. Name of plant. Scientific. 1907 Flower stalks produced. 1908 1909 1907 Seeds matured. 1908 1 Practically no seeds reached full maturity. July 5-Aug. 20. July 3-Aug. 15. ..do. July 10-Aug. 25. do. do. .do. July 10-Aug. 1... June 20-July 20.. Sept. 5-Sept. 10. By (1) August Aug. 1-Aug. 15.. 8 20 Aug. 25-Sept. 10. Sept. 1-Sept. 15. Aug. 20-Sept. 10. Aug. 15-Sept. 10. Aug. 1-Aug. 25. Aug. 1-Aug. 20.. July 25-Aug. 15. 3.0-13.5 A blank following the date of seed maturity indicates that only a few seeds matured at the time specified, and the remainder of the seed crop nover reached full development. |