• y'lKcri.Ai! No. 2:; — (Autos. 6:i). 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



DIVISION OF AGROSTOLOGY. 



[Grass aiid Finite Plant Investigations.] 



V. LAMS0N-SCRIJ5XEK, Agrostolouisl. 





PROGRESS OF EXPERIMENTS IN FORAGE CROPS AND RANGE 

 IMPROVEMENT AT ABILENE. TEX. 



[Ill a great many sectious of the Southwest the natural rauges and jjaslnreis have 

 lieen nearly or entirely destroyed by overstocking. The nativ<' grasses have died 

 out through excessively close grazing, and their places have been taken by useless 

 weeds and shrubs. Owners of what have heretofore been fine grazing properties have 

 tlitis snffered great loss in being deprived of their pastures, and are now engaged in 

 an effort to somewhat restore the former conditions, if possible. 



The Division of Agrostology in 1898 commenced a three-years' experiment with a 

 view to helping in this matter. A body of land (i40 acres in extent, near Abilene, 

 'I'cx., Avas kindly loaned by its owner, and tlie citizens of that town cheerfully 

 assisted in the movement by having the property placed under fence, building water 

 tanks, etc. Mr. II. L. Bentley, special field agent of the Division of Agrostology, 

 was placed in charge, and has been carrying ont the plan of ex]>erimentation devised 

 by the Agrostologist of the De]iartment. 



'J'liis is Mr. Bentley's second report of jirogress of experiments in range improve- 

 ment, the first one having been submitted and iirinted in December, 1898, as Circu- 

 lar No. 8, and entitled " Experiments in IJange Imi»rovements.'" — F. L. S.] 



Tliere have been iiuuiy serious difficulties to contend with during the 

 past season. In the first place the months of January and February, 

 especially the latter, were very unfavorable for experimental work. In 

 order to explain the conditions that prevailed here, a statement show- 

 ing the protracted and extreme cold during the month of February is 

 l)resented. 



Tabic showituj the dales diiruKj February, 1S99, when tlie temperature 

 WHS below the freezing point. 



Date. 



Fel). 1 

 2 

 3 

 4 

 5 

 6 

 7 

 S 

 9 

 HI 



Degrees. ! 



18 

 25 

 14 

 14 

 12 

 10 

 14 

 13 

 13 



Date. 



Degrei's. 



