TECHNICAL NOTES 269 cue from close clipping under green- northern Mixed Prairie than warm LARSON, E. AND W. WHITMAN. 1942. house conditions. season species. Weather normally A comparison of used and unused grassland mesas in the Badlands of Summary and Conclusions favors their growth soon after spring thaw. A wider annual yield varia- South Dakota. Ecology 23: 438-445. A sampling study was made of tion occurs on warm season species LEMKE, RICHARDW. 1960. Geology herbage yields by specific soil types of the Souris River area, North which are more dependent on timely in the Souris River area of North Dakota. Geol. Survey Professional summer rains. Dakota during 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962 Paper 325. On native perennial grasslands the and 1963. Sampling areas were se- QUINNILD, C. L. AND H. E. COSBY. potential average annual yields may lected from representative soil types 1958. Relicts of climax vegetation vary greatly among mature soils of on two mesas in western North and Excellent range condition. a catena. When the yield from a Dakota. Ecology 39: 29-32. A common catena was sampled in climatically normal soil was com- SARVIS, J. T. 1941. Grazing investi- which Williams loam, a typical zonal pared with yields from other mature gations on the Northern Great representative of the Chestnut soils, upland members of a soil catena in Plains. N. Dak. Agric. Expt. Sta. was indicative of ordinary uplands Bul. 308. 110 pp. the same macroclimate, differences on which vegetation can make a WEAVER,J. E. AND F. W. ALBERTSON. approximated 25% over and under normal response to climate, reflect- 1956. Grasslands of the Great the yield from the normal soil. If ing regional climax. Average herb- Plains. Johnson Publishing Com- immature and depressional members age yield was 2016 lbs. per acre, air pany, Lincoln, Nebraska. 395 pp. of the catena are included, the vari- WHITMAN, WARREN C. 1954. Yield dry, for the five years. The largest ation may approximate 100% up or characteristics of native grass yield was from Parnell silt loam be- down from the normal soil. More- ranges. Proc. N. Dak. Academy of cause of superior moisture availa- over, production on any upland Science. Vol. VIII. bility from trapped run-in water. member of such a catena in wet The greatest total annual yield from years may be double that in dry this soil (7920 lbs per acre) was ap- Evidence of Hybridization years -with even greater differences proximately 3 times the highest yield Between Certain Browse Plants on members subject to ponding. from Williams loam. The most xeric ARTHUR D. SMITH Differences in kinds of plants of all soil types sampled was coarse Professor of Range Management, composing climax plant communities dune-sand. The average herbage Utah State University, on a single member of a catena, in yield of all plots for one favorable Game Biologist, Utah State Depart- the same macroclimate, generally year (1962) was 1135 lbs. per acre, ment of Fish and Game, Logan, Utah produced essentially the same total 42% of Williams loam for the same annual yield. However, a consocia- In the fall of 1935, plants were ob- year. tion of rough fescue on a normal served in Logan Canyon, Utah, that Cool season grasses are more com- profile produced more than other had certain characteristics resem- mon to climax vegetation of the communities sampled on the com- bling birchleaf mahagony (Cerco- parable soil. carpus montanus) and others resem- In areas long protected from graz- bling curlleaf mahogany (C. Zedi- ing, the average amounts of both jolius) . Subsequently similar appar- fresh and humic mulch varied di- ent hybrids were found elsewhere rectly with the natural productivity in the state. of soil members in a catena. During the winter of 1948, plants Literature Ciied were found in the vicinity of Provi- COSBY, H. E. 1960. Rings on the dence Canyon in northern Utah range. Jour. Range Mangt. 13: which were not typical of antelope 283-288. bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) nor COUPLANDR. T. ANDT. C. BRAYSHAW. cliffrose (Cowania stansburiana), 1953. The Fescue grassland in Sas- but resembled both. Subsequently katchewan. Ecology 34: 386-405. plants showing similar intergrada- DIX, R. L. 1960. Some slope-plant tions have been observed throughout relationships in the grasslands of Utah by the writer and others. the Missouri Badlands of North Dakota. Jour. Range Mangt. 11: Field observations and feeding 88-92. tests indicate that the Cercoca?‘pus DYKSTERHUIS,E. J. 1949. Condition hybrids provide excellent forage for and management of rangeland deer. In view of the increasing need based on quantitative ecology. to revegetate overused browse Jour. Range Mangt. 2: 104-115. ranges, further information regard- DYKSTERHUIS, E. J. AND E . M. ing these suspected hybrids may be FIGURE3. Top: Two plots in rough fescue SCHMUTZ. 1947. Natural mulches valuable. community on Williams loam, 15% north or “litter” of grassland: with kinds slope. Upper plot not previously clipped; and amounts on a southern prairie. Methods Ecology 28: 173-179. lower plot clipped 1960 and 1961. Bot- Attempts were made to cross the JOHNSTON,A. 1961. Comparison of tom: L. to R.: Forage from previously two species of Flowers lightly grazed and ungrazed range Cercocarpus. clipped plot ; forage, fresh mulch, and in the Fescue grassland of south- from selected branches were emas- humic mulch from plot unclipped pre- ern Alberta. Canadian Jour. Plant culated and enclosed in bags to pre- viously. Science 41: 615-622. vent natural pollination. Later pol- 270 TECHNICAL NOTES len from known sources was intro- in Logan Canyon, curlleaf mahogany tures of 35” to 45°F. The 1957 mate- duced into the bags. Some individual had completed flowering except at rials were held in a cold chamber 30 flowers were enclosed in drug cap- the mountain summit. This greatly days, the 1958 seeds for 50 days. All sules. limited the opportunities for con- were then placed in sand for germi- Six crosses were attempted: 1Cmo trolled pollination. Thirty crosses, nation. When it appeared that no x Cle; Cmo x Hyb; and Cle x Hyb, each representing 6 to 15 emascu- germination was forthcoming, the each plant alternately providing and lated flowers were attempted. Eighty seeds were recovered. Most of them receiving pollen. seeds were collected (Table 1). upon being cut open were found to No attempts were made to cross The apparently viable seeds were be dark and discolored. Thirteen, cliffrose with bitterbrush. Typical stratified in peat moss at tempera- however, appeared to be in good material was collected from differ- ent localities and compared to plants Table 1. Results of crossbreeding attempts with planis of the genus exhibiting signs of hybridization. Cercocarpus. Cliffrose was obtained from Stans- Number Source Number bury Island, the type locality. Ante- of Plant of of seeds lope bitterbrush was obtained from Year attempts’ pollinated pollen recovered Comments northern Utah and southern Idaho, 1957 2 Hyb Cle 0 Fruits started to develop north of the range of cliffrose. Des- 2 Hyb Cm0 0 No response observed ert bitterbrush (Purshia glandulosa) 1 Cm0 Cle Fruits started to develop came from Beaver Dam Wash in 1 Cm0 Hyb 0 Bags destroyed southwestern Utah. These materials 1 Cle Cm0 10 were compared to collections from a 1 Cle Hyb 0 No response observed suspected interbred population with 1959 1 Hyb Cle 0 Fruits partially developed respect to several gross morpho- 2 Hyb Cm0 2 logical characteristics. 7 Cm0 Cle 7 Results 8 Cm0 Hyb 19 Attempts to hybridize the Cerco- 6 Cle Cmo 25 carpus species were first made in 6 Cle Hyb 27 1957. Plastic food bags were used to 1 Each attempt represents a branch with 6 to 15 flowers. enclose the branches selected for treatment. They proved to be too nearly airtight. Transpired moisture accumulated in them and tempera- ture inside became high. Small vents and a coating of aluminum paint failed to correct these difficulties. The drug capsules were too heavy for the small flowers. In conse- quence of these difficulties, only ten mature seeds were obtained by con- trolled pollination (Cle x Cmo). Twenty-five seeds were recovered from a bagged unemasculated branch of a natural hybrid plant which ap- parently were the result of selfing. Further attempts at crossing were made in 1958. The selected branches were first enclosed in paper bags which in turn were covered with loosely fitting plastic bags left open at the bottom, thus permitting free circulation of air still providing pro- tection from rain. The weather, however, was not favorable to flower production on an extensive stand of birchleaf ma- hogany near the mouth of Logan FIGURE1. Selected leaves to show the variation in characteristics of the Cercocarpus Canyon which was to have been the complex. Each is from a different plant. A, Fully developed evergreenleaves, dentate major source of study material. By at tips, the size suggesting a cross between C. intricatus and C. montanus. B, C. the time this species was flowering intricatus. C, C. Zedifolius, leaves evergreen and entire. D, E, & F, Leaves evergreen at the upper limit of its distribution with variable leaf shape and dentation. The form of these plants is similar to lCm0 = Cercocarpus montanus; CZe C. Zedifolius. G and H, These. are close to C. montanus. The bushes are low and = C. ledifolius; Hyb = natural hy- multi-stemmed. Although they are largely deciduous, some leaves remain green all brid. winter. The dentation of G does not approach the leaf base. I, Typical C. mntanus. TECHNICAL NOTES 271 condition and still capable of ger- Individual values for these same They tend to fall between the means mination. eight characteristics from selected of cliffrose and antelope bitterbrush Various circumstances made it im- plants from the Providence area although there is great variation. possible to continue the study after were plotted on the same graph. Plant 1161, for example, shows 1958. In spite of failure to produce plants by controlled crossing, the supposi- tion remains strong that such crosses occur in nature. Figure 1 portrays the great variation in leaf character- istics of Cercocarpus plants collected from a small area near the mouth of Logan Canyon, which appears to support this belief.

Purshia-COUW&J Complex The data obtained from examina- tion of this group are difficult of summarization. Morphological char- acteristics occur in such a variety of combinations that none is a depend- able criterion. As in the Cercocarpus complex, gradual inter-gradations can be observed. An array of fruits and leaves illustrating the many gradations found is shown in Figure 2. It will be observed that the leaf characteristics are more erratic than the fruit. Moreover a diversity of leaf form can be observed on differ- ent parts of the same plant. Thomas (1957) was of the opinion FIGURE 2. Fruit and leaves of the Purshia - Cowania complex. A, typical Purshia tri- that P. glandulosa resulted from a dentata from Smithfield, Utah. B, Purshia glandulosa from Beaver Dam Wash, cross between P. trident&a and southwestern Utah. C, Plant 543 near Providence, Utah. Note the twin seeds. Cowuniu. Except for its fruits, in D, Plant 589 near Providence. Although one seed predominates, the beak is longer respect to which it most closely re- than on typical P. tridentata and is slightly pubescent. E, Plant 572, Providence, sembles P. tridentutu, P. glundulosu Utah, with three seeds whose tails are rather long and becoming plume-like. The appears very like cliffrose. The ma- leaves are broadly lobed with weakly revolute margins and resemble P. tridentata terial collected near Providence fol- leaves. F, Plant 3584, Providence. Long plumes are present but there are fewer lowed none of the three species seeds than are characteristics of Cowania. G and H, From plants on Stansbury Island, closely. Individual characteristics the type locality for Cowania stansburiana. Note the 7-lobed leaves of H. most nearly resembled one or an- other of the species in turn. Nord (1959) has called attention to that fact that a presumed hybrid between Cowuniu and Purshiu was collected in Nevada in 1898 by C. A. Purpus. This since has been named C. mexicuna var. dubiu McMinn. This is described as having 2 or 3’ fruits per receptacle. The material from Providence shows 2 to 6 fruits, although, more “typical” hybrid plants observed have 3 or occasion- ally 4 fruits. Figure 3 presents graphically the characteristics found in the Provi- dence material and compares them to the recognized species in this area. Maximum, minimum, and mean val- ues for eight characteristics thought to be of possible usefulness in identi- fying individual members of this complex were plotted for cliffrose FIGURE 3. Range in values of selected characteristics of P. tridentata, P. glandulosa, and and the two bitterbrushes. Cowania stansburiana compared to individual plants found near Providence, Utah. 272 TECHNICAL NOTES maximum values for hypanthium under observation are a result of recognized species when they occur glands and plume length but has random cross pollination among the together in other areas. fewer achenes than cliffrose and all parents and hybrids resulting in a Cytological studies are probably but one of the hybrids shown in the wide variety of genetic combina- necessary to define the true status of graph. Plant 581 is but moderately tions. these plant complexes. glandular, but with respect to leaf An attempt was made to germi- divisions and pedicel length it ap- nate seeds from hybrid material col- Literature Cited proaches maximum values. lected near Providence, Utah, but NORD, EAMOR. 1959. Bitterbush The data obtained from the Provi- without success though Plummer Ecology - Some recent findings. dence population do not suggest that (1957) reports having done so. Pac. Southwest Forest and Range we have a true variety, for there is Data were collected on the palat- Experiment Station. Research note no consistent combination of char- abilities of these hybrids for deer. 148. acteristics that can be recognized. Individual plants were identified, PLUMMER, PERRY. 1957. Job Com- In some instances the foliage char- tagged, and measured in the fall and pletion Report, Pittman-Robertson Project W-82-R-2. Western Browse acteristics are essentially like those again in the spring. No significant Research 111( 1) : 1-128, mimeo. found on P. tridentata, while other differences could be observed be- THOMAS, LINDSEYKAY JR. 1957. In- characteristics may be intermediate tween the palatabilities of Cowan& trogression in Purshia trident&a or close to cliffrose. Purshia trident&a, and hybrid and Cowania stansburiana. Un- The evidence here would better plants, although differences in palat- published M.S. thesis. Brigham support the view that the plants ability have been noted among the Young University.

Effect of Time of Fertilizer sign was a split-plot with six repli- rainfall of 6.6 to 10.4 inches during Application on the Seed and cations in which fertilizers consti- the 5 year period. Forage Yield of tuted the main plots and time of fer- Heading was sparse in 1952 and Russian Wild Ryegrass tilizer application the sub-plots. no yields were taken. In 1953, 1954, Ammonium nitrate, 33.5-o-0, and and 1955 seed yields and forage T. LAWRENCE AND M. R. KILCHER ammonium phosphate-sulphate, 16- yields were obtained by harvesting Research Officers, Experimental 20-0, fertilizers at rates supplying the grass for seed with a hand sickle Farm, Research Branch, Canada De- 50 pounds of N per acre were ap- and cutting the aftermath for forage. partment of Agriculture, Swift Cur- plied at four times of the year, in rent, Saskatchewan, Canada. July (mid-summer) immediately Results Several workers have pointed out after seed harvest, on September 15 Seed Production.-In the first two that the application of nitrogen fer- (early fall), on October 15 (late crop years Russian wild ryegrass tilizers and use of wide row spacings fall), and in April (spring). Fer- fertilized immediately after seed increased seed yields of Russian wild tilizers were applied as a seeded harvest produced about three times ryegrass, Stelfox et al. (1941), Stitt band 6 inches to the side of each as much seed as when it was fer- (1954)) Heinrichs and Lawrence grass row and 1 to 1.5 inches deep. tilized at other times (Table 1). (1956)) and Lawrence (1963). Others The grass was irrigated three or However, in the third year, fertiliza- have reported on the influence of four times during the growing season tion in the spring resulted in seed fertilizer and row spacing on the to apply approximately 10 inches of yields as great as those obtained forage production of this grass, Kil- water to supplement the seasonal from other application times. The cher (1958 and 1961)) Lorenz and Rogler (1959), and Smika et al. Table 1. Seed yields in pounds per acre of Russian wild ryegrass as influ- (1960). Both nitrogen fertilizer and enced by fime of fertilizer applicafion. wide row spacings were found to Fertilizer and Year give increased forage yields. time of application 1953 1954 1955 Mean Very little work has been re- ported on the influence of time of 33.5-o-o fertilizer application on the produc- After seed harvest (July) 196 172 60 143 tion of the Russian wild ryegrass. September 15 76 62 16 49 Stitt (1954), on the basis of limited October 15 76 20 9 35 observations, indicated that early Spring (April) 77 62 66 68 spring was probably the best time Mean 106 79 38 74 to apply fertilizer for increased seed Dl 21 14 20 22 yields. The present study was under- taken to determine the influence of 16-20-o time of fertilizer applications on the After seed harvest (July) 234 122 26 127 seed and forage yields of Russian September 15 60 51 25 45 wild ryegrass. October 15 82 36 15 44 Spring (April) 66 51 76 64 Experimental Methods Mean 110 65 36 70 Russian wild ryegrass was seeded in 1951 in rows two feet apart on an D 21 14 20 22 irrigated clay soil at Swift Current, 1D is the difference required for significance at P = .05, as outlined by Saskatchewan, The experimental de- Snedecor (1961).