UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, LARAMIE JUNE 1964 BULLETIN 425

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, LARAMIE JUNE 964 BULLETIN 425

2 Acknwledgments The authrs wish t express their sincere appreciatin t Dr. R. L. Lang and t Dr. H. T. Nrthen fr their suggestins and encuragement in these studies. Appreciatin is expressed t Dr. W. W. Ellis and t the Bichemistry Divisin f the University f Wyming fr wrk dne n the chemical analyses.

3 Studies f Eurtia lanata (winterfat) W. A. Riedl, 2 K. H. Asay, 3 J. L. Nelsn, 3 and G. M. Telwar 4 Native frage shrubs make up much f the livestck feed prduced n arid areas in the western states. Many shrubs are highly palatable, nutritius, and remarkably drught resistant. Little research has been dne n the breeding and imprvement f such shrubs. Eurtia lanata (Pursh.) Mq., cmmnly knwn as winterfat, white sage, wintersage, r feather sage, was selected fr these studies because it is ne f the mst imprtant native frage shrubs (in sme areas it is a semishrub) n western rangeland and because the seed germinates readily. Researchers studied this valuable shrub t learn if it can be imprved and established n western ranges. This publicatin summarizes research cnducted by the senir authr and" by the junir authrs n Eurtia lanata fr three Master's degree theses during Literature Review Eurtia lanata is a pubescent, perennial shrub with small flwers n mnecius r diecius plants. The fruit is an utricle enclsed by a hairy pericarp, readily separated frm the seed (). Seed viability decreases with increasing age (6). Age als affects the germinatin rate and the percent f healthy seedlings prduced. The germinatin percentage f ne-year-ld seed was abut ne-half that btained frm seed germinated immediately after maturity (0). The seed has a 'lrmancy perid, and germinatin generally imprves up t 60 days after harvest. Seeds germinate best at 65 t 76 degrees F. (6); hwever, seed may germinate and seedlings may survive at temperatures f 25 degrees F. (6). The prevalence f Eurtia lanata has declined n the western ranges because f vergrazing by livestck and rabbits, trampling, imprper seasnal use, and drught (4, 5, and 9). In western Utah the rati f dead t living winterfat plants in heavily grazed, pure types was 59 percent cmpared with 23 percent n adjacent, mderately used ranges (9). Winterfat has shwn trend increases in herbage yield f 239 percent when grazed lightly, 32 percent when grazed mderately, and 33 percent when grazed heavily (7). Accrding t Eckert (4), late spring and summer grazing appears t reduce vigr and reprductin. In winter livestck may eat 55 percent f winterfat herbage withut impairing its cntinued reprductivity (7). The Bureau f Land Management and the Western Reginal Prject W-40 cperated in this prject. 'rfessr f Plant Breeding, Divisin f Plant Science, University f Wyming. Graduate Students, Divisin f Plant Science, University f Wyming. ( >raduate Student, Department f Btany, University f Wyming.

4 Ck et al. (3) fund that sheep highly preferred winterfat in all plant mixtures and readily ate it thrughut the grazing seasn. Ck and Harris (2) fund little change in chemical cmpsitin f winterfat during the grazing perid, Nv. 8 t March 24. Winterfat remains fairly high in prtein during the seasn when grasses are lw in cntent. Winterfat's cartene cntent, which rises in December and January, may prvide a buffer against t rapid depletin f vitamin A stred in the animal bdy (8). Experimental Methds and Results Eurtia lanata seed and prpagating material were cllected frm several lcatins in Wyming, Clrad, New Mexic, Utah and Nevada. The seed was prcessed and plants were transplanted t the greenhuse fr bservatin. Prcessing Seed Stents bearing mature seed were threshed with a nursery thresher. The seed was separated frnt the debris by means f varius-sized screens, a fanning mill, and a Suth Dakta seed blwer. Attempts were made t delint the seed with varius treatments f sulphuric acid. All these treatments, hwever, lwered the germinatin mre than a mechanical prcess f rubbing the seeds between tw crrugated, rubber-cvered bards. Germinatin The seed was planted \/ K inch deep in steam-sterilized sil cmjised f 5 parts tpsil, 3 parts sand, 2 parts sheep manure, and part peat. The seed was unifrmly distributed in rws equally spaced in greenhuse flats. The flats were watered lightly and as unifrmly as pssible whenever the sil surface appeared dry- The greenhuse temperature was maintained near 70 F. The germinatin percentage was based n the number f emerged seedlings divided by the number f seeds planted. Table shws results f the gernu natin test. Seed was cllected frm 6 lcatins in 958 and tested in 959. Table. Germinatin f mechanically prcessed Eurtia lanata seed frm 6 lcatins. Lcatin Cllectin.date Germinatin percent Suth f Laramie, Wy. Oct Simla, Cl. Oct Rig Hllw, west f Laramie, Wy. Oct Miller Statin, nrthwest f Laramie, Wy. Oct Nrth f Laramie, Wy. Oct Encampment, Wy. Oct LSD.05 level LSD.0 level ' Data represent an average f 4 replicatins f seeds each

5 Seed cllected frm Encampment, Wy., germinated significantly lwer than seed btained at the ther lcatins. Table 2 shws results f germinatin tests made in 959 n seed cllected Sept. 2, Oct., 3, 0, in 958. Seed cllected Oct. 0 germinated significantly higher than seed cllected Sept. 2 and Oct.. Seed harvested n the earlier dates was prbably immature. Shwn in Table 3 are emergence rates and germinatin percentages f seed cllected n tw dates at each f six Wyming lcatins in 959 and tested in 960. Generally, seed cllected n the later dates emerged mre rapidly. There were significant differences in germinatin f seed cllected frm different lcatins n the same date and als between seed cllected n different dates at the same lcatin. Seed cllected n the later dates usually germinated better. Results indicate that seed will mature earlier in sme lcatins than in thers. Seed frm the Pine Bluffs lcatin where the altitude is 5,047 feet, matured later than seed frm sme lcatins near Laramie with an altitude f mre than 7,2 feet. The character f early maturity at the higher altitudes may be due t natural selectin. Differences in seed size were visible amng sme lts. Large size was assciated mre with rate f seedling emergence than with ttal germinatin under greenhuse cnditins. The large seed emerged earlier. The emergence rate culd be an imprtant factr in determining whether r nt seedlings becme established, especially when misture cnditins are unfavrable. Selectin fr large seed types may imprve seedling establishment. Seedling Vigr Seed ling-vigr differences were determined fr seed cllected n tw dates in 959 at six lcatins near Laramie. A split-plt design was used, with lcatins representing whle plts and dates representing sub-plts. The seed was planted March 4. Seedling heights were measured 42 days after planting. Table 4 shws the frequency distributin f seedling height. Table 2. Germinatin f mechanically prcessed Eurtia lanata seed cllected n 4 dates.' Cllectin date Percent germinatin Sept Oct.. 7 Oct Oct LSD.05 level 8 LSD.0 level 2 Data represent an average f fur replicatins f seeds each.

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7 0 s si h & Mean* *f w O - - -»n < (M ^ H - ~ m P H m c m k«o k * Tt«\Ci CO t r-*» O ko ko **" If) OP) K) t CO CO iti r* O p-* 22 ^ Si *-* O 0O u > "f O CO ko < O ko O O if) 2* 6 j 223 G- v cn u w O V u (M 0 w O *r c " 2 a x Q, Z- > & 3 - «: v a. '73 j a. V r C/3 ifj 73 6 Q > 0 X Z 3 XL < CS b r» v 2 <s>.t M Y v2 zz u" - ^ r =: -s '= 3 ^ J *rt JZ (M 'N 5 ~ IM 2 G: 0 Oi c XL % u O c u Z z Z uj > > G - U -7- I 8 >. ««. - a. 5! B?; c J i i w fc (C K a 4 P *. li ~ S3 I a. 3 2L r «"' a. I g 4 it _ Sc M c = C s I frj? e 0 c 5" V * f* I M *2 *c «2 & s I = 5? G <

8 Seedling vigr differed significantly amng seedlts frm different lcatins and even between nearby lcatins; there was a wide range in seedling vigr within lcatins indicating that selectin fr high-vigr lines may be pssible. Data n stand percentages and seedling vigr were btained frm studies f seed cllected at tw lcatins in each f the fllwing states: Wyming, New Mexic, and Nevada. Seed was planted in the greenhuse April 20, 960, in a randmized blck design with eight replicatins f 50 seeds each. Table 5 shws the mean stand percentage prduced by seed frm these lcatins. Seed frm Tas N. Mex., prduced a siirr>ifi«.antly better stand than seed trm ther lcatins. Table 6 shws frequency distributin fr seedling heights frm seed cllected at 6 lcatins in 3 states. The means fr seedling heights differed significantly amng the seed lts frm different lcatins, and there was a wide range f seedling height amng plants within lcatins. This is additinal evidence that selectin fr this character may be pssible. It shuld be pinted ut, hwever, that the seed may nt have been cllected at the same stage f maturity. The seedlts frm Nevada and New Mexic were sent t the authrs by Andrew B. Ryan and Harry W. Pearsn f the Bureau f Land Management. Field Experiments Lw and high-vigr seedlings were selected in the greenhuse in spring 959 and were transplanted t the field at the Agrnmy farm. The plants were spaced ft. apart in rws 3 ft. apart. Plants were irrigated when necessary thrughut the summer. I/eight in inches was measured Aug. 25, 959. Table 7 shws the mean height f lw and high-vigr selectins frm 6 lcatins which were grwn in the field ne seasn. In general, the highvigr selectins prduced the mst frage the fllwing year. This increase became mre prnunced during 4 s ucceeding years. The mst vigrus plants reached 30 inches in height while the lw vigr selectins did nt increase much in height. It appears that high-vigr strains can be selected in the seedling stage. Table 5. Percent stand f Eurtia lanata seedlings frm seed cllected in three states. Lcatin Mean* percent stand Test f significance* 5 miles suth f Ely, Nev miles suth f Carrizz, N. Mex Pine Bluffs, Wy Agrnmy farm, Laramie, Wy miles nrthwest f Ely, Nev Nrthwest f Tas, N. Mex. 73. 'Stand cunt 46 days after planting. ' Mean represents the average f 8 replicatins f 50 seeds each. * Duncan's multiple-range lest at the 5 percent level. Means nt cveted by the same line are significantly different.

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10 Table 7. Mean height f lw and high-vigr selectins frm six Wyming lcatins and at Simla, Cl. Lcatin f seed cllectin' Prgeny vigr Mean 2 (inches) Test f significance Big Hllw lw 4.48 Encampment lw 5.30 Suth f Laramie lw 5.58 Big Hllw high 6.50 Nrth f Laramie lw 7.03 Miller Statin lw 7.50 Simla, Cl. lw 7.63 Nrth f Laramie high 7.68 Encampment high 7.80 Suth f Laramie high 8.70 Miller Statin high 0.30 Simla, Cl. high 0.38 Heights were taken August 25, 959. ' Mean is an average f 4 replicatins f 3 plants each. ' All lcatins are near Laarmie, Wy., except Encampment, Wy., and Simla, Cl. Duncan s multiple-range test at the 5 percent level. Means nt cvered by the same line arc significantly different. Chemical Analyses Frage samples f Eurtia lanata were cllected weekly frm Aug. 8 t Oct. 26 at several sites near Laramie t determine the trend in nutritive cntent. Samples cnsisted f the current year's leaf and stem grwth r apprximately that prtin f the plant which a grazing animal wuld eat. Each sample was allwed t air dry at rm temperature befre being grund in a Wiley Mill with a 20-mesh screen. The percentage f misture, crude fiber, crude prtein, ash, ether extract, lipid, calcium, and phsphrus were determined. The prcedure used t determine percentages is that given in "Official Methds f Analysis f the Assciatin f Official Agricultural Chemists," mdified smewhat t determine crude prtein and lipid percentages.* The mean chemical cmpsitin f samples n a misture-free basis arc shwn in Table 8. The percentage f crude prtein generally decreased and the percentage f crude fiber increased as the plant matured. The chemical analysis shws that crude-prtein cn tent is higher in succulent, grwing plants than in mature plants. The average cmpsitin f E. lanata fr age is cmparable t alfalfa hay. In August the nutritive cntent may be higher than that f a gd grade f alfalfa hay. Paragraphs f the Official Methds f Analysis cited and a descriptin f mdificatins mas be btained frm the University f Wyming Master's degree thesis. Selectin and Imprve ntent f Eurtia lanata, by Lrcn Nelsn. Nv pages 7 and 8. 0

11 L O!> _ n» J p r>- a p % «d d n 4 Tf f rt«h J H y CTJ c t O 'g..83 a a p. p-* p «. O.84 I J I SO.2 < i be I n 3!L g I? U s O C - "r n, ^ 5 i ct *- u IS g t n in n *«r-- p p n m m p ««*-> «-«-i t m n f m t!>. n p -* -* t m m in n p p p p p p P h» in p *-«p < i *-4 > j * 4 *«m d d f p p s p d n d n d d s 2 3 *3 C ^? > d --«* n n n t i t p d d d n d d n in in t d n n n n n n ju *0. C O O: n " j* t p p p p T n in in n (M cl. G. 5 3 m ** P be < < < O a in in n w hr w w w w S r~ r- r r- u u < < 8 # J * s 8.

12 Sil Tests Because E. lanata ccurs in small areas n Wyming rangeland, researchers tried t determine if sil characteristics were respnsible. Samples f the upper 6 inches f sil were btained frm five E. lanata sites near Laramie. The samples were allwed t dry at rm temperature then passed thrugh a 2 mm. screen. Tests were then made t determine the ph-t sil salinity (electrical cnductivity f the slutin extract), settling vlume, and the absence r presence f carbnates. All sil samples were relatively high in ph and carbnates, lw in sluble salts, and lw in exchangeable sdium. This sil cnditin may be ne reasn why Eurtia lanata ccurs in small areas n the range. The species is nt ften fund in areas where greasewd grws n sils high in exchangeable sdium. Lngevity Large E. lanata plants were cllected frm several areas in Wyming t btain infrmatin n the species' lngevity. The taprt was sawed ff at the plant's base. The cut surface was sanded and placed under a bincular micrscpe and the annual rings were cunted. Up t 74 annual rings were cunted in the crss sectins indicating that E. lanata is a lng-lived species. Preliminary Phyi Seed f E. lanata was planted in a mixture f 5 parts f tp sil, 3 parts f sand, and. 3 parts f sheep manure. Sn after the seedlings emerged they were given varius treatments f temperature, light, water, salt cncentratins, and fertilizers. Plants were measured fr height, rt length, leaf numbers, and ttal dry weight. Experiments were cnducted in a grwth ilgical Studies chamber and a greenhuse. Data fr each experiment were analyzed by the analysis-f-variance methd fr a randmized blck design. Temperature Shwn in Table 9 are the sht height, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight fr E. lanata grwn at fur night temperatures. Table 9. Effect f varius night temperatures n sht heights, rt length, number f leaves, and dry weight f Eurtia lanata. 2 Temperature Sht height in mm. Rt length in mm. Number f leaves Dry weight in rag. 0 F F F O LSD.05 level LSD.0 level Data represent an average f fur replicatins with three plants in each. Day temperature was the same fr all grups (55* F. t 60 F.). 2

13 Table 0. Effect f light n grwth f Eurtia lanata seedlings. Length f light Av. height f plants grwn in sil cm. Av. height f plants grwn in sil -{- p eat mixture cm. 6 hurs hurs LSD.05 level LSD.0 level Data represent an average f fur replicatins, three plants in each. Yung E. lanata seedlings grwn at night temperatures f 40 F. were mre vigrus than seedlings grwn at temperatures f 20 F., 0 F., and 0 F. Thse grwn at 0 F. died. Light E. lanata plants were grwn in 4- inch pts f sil and a mixture f sil and peat. Bth treatments were expsed t 2 and 6 hurs f light. The temperature was maintained at 60 F. during the light perid and 50 F. during the dark perid. The effect f light n plant height after 4 days f grwth is shwn in Table 0. Plants given 6 hurs f light daily were significantly taller than thse given 2 hurs f light. The additin f peat t the sil enhanced grwth under bth lng and shrt-day cnditins. Frequency f Watering Yung E. lanata plants were watered daily, weekly, and bi-weekly with equal amunts f water. The daily temperature ranged frm 55 F. t 60 F. The sht height, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight, btained at end f 4 days, are shwn in Table. Table. Plant height, rt length, number f leaves, and dry weight f Eurtia lanata fr 3 watering intervals. Treatment Height f sht in cm. Length f rt in cm. Number f leaves Dry weight in mg. Watered daily Watered weekly Watered bi-weekly LSD.05 level LSD.0 level Dau represent an average f fur replicatins, three plants in each. ' I'lants were measured 4 days after grwth. 3

14 Table 2. Plant heights, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight f E. lanata grwn in different cncentratins f calcium chlride. Calcium chlride cncentratin Av. height f plants in cm. Av. length f rts in cm. Av. number f leaves Av. dry weight in mg. 0. mlar mlar mlar mlar Check LSD.05 level LSD.0 level Da ta represent an average f fur replicatins, three plants in each. When watered weekly, plants were taller, rts were lnger, leaves were mre numerus, and dry weights were greater than when they were watered daily r bi-weekly. Salt Cncentratin These experiments were cnducted t nte the respnse f Eurtia lanata seedlings t different cncentratins f calcium chlride and sdium chlride. Twenty days after the seed was planted, the sil in 4-inch pts cntaining the seedlings was saturated with the fllwing cncentratins f Cacl and Nad: 0. mlar, 0.05 mlar, mlar, mlar, and 0.0 as a cntrl. These cncentratins were applied nly nce; thereafter all plants were watered at equal intervals. Results f applying varius cncentratins f calcium chlride t yung E. lanata plants are shwn in Table 2. The additin f calcium chlride t the sil up t 0. mlar cncentratin increased plant height, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight. Effects f varius sdium chlride cncentratins applied t the sil are shwn in Table 3. Table 3. Plant heights, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight f Eurtia lanata grwn in different sdium chlride cncentratins. Av. height Av. length Av. dry Sdium chlride f plants f rt Av. number weight cncentratin in cm. in cm. f leaves in mg. 0. mlar mlar mlar mlar Check LSD 0.05 level LSD 0.0 level Data represent an average f fur replicatins, three plants in each.

15 Applicatins f sdium chlride t the sil significantly reduced plant grwth in all cncentratins. Fertilizers The influence f fertilizer 50 lbs. per acre n the grwth f yung E. lanata plants is shwn in Table 4. Nitrgen is shwn as N, phsphrus as P, and ptash as K. Cmbinatins f these fertilizers were als applied at 50 lbs. per acre. In general, treatments f N, P, NP, and NPK significantly increased the grwth f E. lanata ver K and PK. Apparently the sil cntained sufficient quantity f K fr gd plant grwth. Table 4. Effect f different fertilizers n plant heights, rt length, leaf numbers, and dry weight f Eurtia lanata- 2 Fertilizers Av. plant height in cm. Av. length f rt in cm. Av. number f leaves Av. dry weight in mg. N P K NP NK PK NPK LSD at.05 level LSD at.0 level Data represent an average f fur replicatins, three plants in each. 'Each letter designates a particular fertilizer, and the cmbinatin f apprpriate letters designates the mixture f that fertilizer. Establishment and Plant-Imprvement Studies Establishment E. lanata seed was planted with a range seeder n April 4 and May 6, 96. Plantings were made in ld furrws n sd, in new furrws n sd, and n plwed grund. The range seeder planted tw furrws at a time. One she was set shallw (i/ 2 t inch deep); the ther was set t plant the seed I t 2 inches deep in ld furrws n sd. Bth shes placed the seed shallwer in new furrws n sd and deeper n the plwed grund. Stand readings were made n August 7. Results are given in Tables 5 and 6. A gd stand was btained n sd by planting seed in ld furrws abut t 2 inches deep April 4. A gd stand als was btained when seed was planted shallw n plwed grund. When seed was planted in new furrws n sd, the stand was fair t gd but the plants were much smaller. The stand was much better 5

16 Table 5. Stand f Eurtia lanata planted with range seeder April 4. Readings were made Aug. 7. Treatment Shallw Deep Old furrws in sd New furrws in sd Plwed sil fair fair gd gd fair t gd fair Gd, fair and pr stand represents apprximately 20, rw, respectively. 0, and 5 plants per 0 ft. f Table 6. Stand f Eurtia lanata planted with range seeder May 6. Readings were made Aug. 7. Treatment Shallw Deep Old furrws in sd New furrws in sd Plwed sil thin pr very small plants fair thin pr very small plants fair Fair, thin, and pr represent apprximately 0, 7. and 5 plants per 0 ft. f rw respectively. when the seed was planted n April 4 than n May 6. Plant Imprvement Eurtia lanata was fund t be diecius primarily, but ccasinally mnecius plants ccurred in the areas studied. Parts f female plants that were cvered with muslin bags did nt set seed, while parts nt cvered did set seed. This test indicates that Eurtia lanata is a crss-pllinated plant. It is prbably crss-pllinated by wind. High seedling-vigr selectins were transplanted t a field crssing-blck. Plants with weak subsequent grwth ivere remved during the first 2 years after being transplanted, and seed was harvested frm the crssing blck n the third year. This synthetic will be tested with ther available strains t determine if any prgress in frage yield has been made. Summary Studies f Eurtia lanata were made t learn hw this valuable frage shrub can be imprved and established n western rangeland. The seed can be threshed satisfactrily with a nursery thresher and prcessed by means f varius-sized screens, a fanning mill, and a Suth Dakta seed blwer. The germinatin percentage f seed cllected frm 6 lcatins in 958 and tested in 959 varied frm 47 t 78 percent. There were significant differences in germinatin f seed cllected frm different lcatins n the same date and n different dates at the same lcatin. In general, seed cllected n

17 the later dates germinated better. Results als indicate that seed matured earlier at high altitudes than at lw altitudes. Large seed size was assciated mre with rapidity f seedling emergence than with ttal germinatin. Selectin fr large seed types may imprve seedling establishment. There were significant differences in the mean vigr f seedlings prduced frm seed cllected at different lcatins. There was a wide range in seedling vigr prduced frm seed cllected at the same lcatin n the same date. These results indicate that it may be pssible t select superir seedling-vigr lines. Seed cllected nrthwest f Tas, New Mex., prduced a significantly better stand when planted in flats in the greenhuse than seed cllected in Wyming, Nevada, and ther New Mexic lcatins. In general, the high seedling-vigr selectins prduced mre frage than the lw seedling-vigr selectins during the three succeeding years after they were transplanted t the field. Chemical analyses f the frage shwed that the crude prtein varied frm a high f 7.08 percent n Aug. 5 t a lw f 8.08 percent n Oct. 4. The crude-prtein percentage generally decreased, and crude fiber increased, as the plant matured. Sil samples btained frm sites where E. lanata was grwing were relatively high in ph and carbnates and lw in sluble salts and exchangeable sdium. A cunt f annual rings in the crss-sectin f E. lanata rts indicate it is a lng-lived species. Plants grew better at night temperature f 40 F. than at 20 F., 0 F., and 0 F. Thse grwn at a night temperature f 0 F. died. Plants expsed t 6 hurs f light daily were significantly larger than thse expsed t 2 hurs f light. Plants watered weekly grew better than thse watered daily r bi-weekly. Adding calcium chlride t the sil, up t 0. mlar cncentratin, stimulated plant grwth; all cncentratins f sdium chlride studied significantly reduced plant grwth. In general, plants fertilized with 50 lbs. per acre f N, P, NP, and NPK increased grwth f E. lanata significantly mre than treatments f K and PK. Apparently the sil cntained enugh K fr gd plant grwth. A better stand was btained when seed was planted with a range seeder n April 4 than when planted May 6. Stands were als better when seed was planted shallw n plwed sil than when planted deep; hwever, the deeper planting in sd prduced better stands than the shallw planting. 7

18 Literature Cited. Brittn, N. L., and Addisn Brwn An illustrated flra f the Nrthern United States, Canada and the British Pssessins. Lancaster Press, Inc., Lancaster, Pa. Vl. 2: Ck, C. W., and L. E. Harris The nutritive cntent f the grazing sheep diet n summer and winter ranges f Utah. Utah Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui L. A. Stddart, and L. E. Harris. 95. Measuring cnsumptin and digestibility f winter range plants by sheep. Jur. Range Mangt. 4: Eckert, R. E., Jr A study f cmpetitin between whitesage and halgetn in Nevada. Jur. Range Mangt. 7: Esplin, A. C., J. E. Greaves, and L. A. Stddart A study f Utah's winter range. Utah Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui Hiltn, J. W. 94. Effects f certain micr-eclgical factrs n the germinability and early develpment f Eurtia lanata. Nrthwest Sci. 5: Hutchings, S. S., and Gerge Stewart Increasing frage yields and sheep prductin n intermuntain winter ranges. U.S.D.A. Circular N Payne, C. F Native plants as surces f nutrients fr grazing animals. Prc. Mntana Acad. Sci. 5: Smith, J. G Frage plants fr cultivatin n alkali sils. U.S.D.A- Yearbk f Agriculture, pp Wilsn, C. P. 93. The artificial reseeding f New Mexic ranges New Mex. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui

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20 The University f Wyming Cllege f Agriculture ffers degree prgrams in crp science at the bachelr's, master's, and dctr's levels. Students studying crp prductin and management, plant breeding, and weed cntrl plan their prgrams arund their specialized interest areas. Greenhuse facilities and agrnmy farms affrd excellent pprtunities fr investigatin and study. Students graduating frm the crps curriculum are emplyed as teachers, cunty agricultural agents, land appraisers fr banks and lan cmpanies, farm and ranch managers and peratrs, crp and prduce inspectrs, research wrkers fr federal, state, and cmmercial rganizatins, and cnsultants in sugar beet, il seed, and ther industries. Fr infrmatin n these prgrams, write: Dean, Cllege f Agriculture. University f Wyming, Bx 3354, University Statin, Laramie, Wyming 8207.