An effort has been made to get a stand of Texas Blue Grass and 

 Curly Mesquite by transplanting fragments of sod to the bare spots. 

 East and west furrows were also broken in order to arrest the grass 

 seeds Avhich are blown over the ground by the prevailing north and 

 south winds, the idea being to form seed beds, from which the most 

 valuable sorts should spread in every direction. 



To insure uniformity the section of land was inspected before the 

 commencement of work by a committee of stockmen, who made an 

 estimate of the carrying capacity of the land at that time (April 1, 

 1808). The committee decided that the land would carry 40 head of 

 stock cattle to the square mile, in the proportion of ten cows with 

 calves, 15 yearlings, and 15 two-year-olds, which proportion will be 

 maintained as closely as possible until the end of the experiment. 

 The land will be judged again at intervals during the experiment, 

 in order to determine as exactly as possible the percentage and rate 

 of improvement in the different portions under the various methods 

 of treatment. 



Mr. H. L. Bentley, the special agent in charge, estimates that 

 there has already been a gain of 25 per cent in the amount of grass 

 on the land, in the case of those pastures which have been disked 

 and harrowed. His report, dated November 24, 1898, concerning 

 the experiments, is herewith appended : 



REPORT OF MR. BENTLEY. 



The drought that has been on here for several months has not yet been broken. 

 Since April 1 the rainfall in the immediate section embracing the Station has 

 been distressingly small. There are two large tanks on the property, but there is 

 water in only one of them, and at present only a small amount. There are also 

 15 or 20 shallow water-holes that in ordinary years catch and hold water most of 

 the season, but they have been only partially full twice in seven months and 

 now all are dry. As a result there has been no end of difBculty in keeping cattle 

 in the pastures on account of the water scarcity. Just now I have no cattle in 

 pasture at all, not having sufficient water for even the 13 head called for by the 

 experiment. I hope, however, that we will soon have another good season here. 

 If once the tanks are filled there will be sufficient water to carry the cattle 

 through the winter in accordance with the plan. Notwithstanding the protracted 

 drought the grass is good — astonishingly good. In the pastures which Were har- 

 rowed I believe that there is fully twice as much grass as at this time last year. 

 Had we had normal seasons since April 1 it is plain to me that the harrowing 

 experiments would have shown splendid results. 



The 10 acres of garden land are in first class condition to catch and hold all 

 the rain that shall fall during the winter. The woven wire fence around the 

 10-acre tract was placed in position by experienced fence builders, and I feel 

 confident now that the grasses and legumes vdll not be troubled seriously in the 

 spring by the prairie dogs and rabbits. The prairie dogs moved en masse on the 

 garden as soon as the crops appeared. Before the fence (woven wire) was placed 

 in position they had nearly destroyed the roots of the alfalfa and cowpeas, but 

 I anticipate no further trouble from them. 



