10 



forethought are to be enjoyed by others. They are all alike, grass 

 destroyers, so loug as it is not to their own immediate interest to be 

 grass i)reservers. Stockmen have been reckless in this direction, farmers 

 have been their allies. The latter still wage a war of extermination on 

 the grasses growing in and about their fields. In his effort to make 

 room for more cheap cotton the farmer ruthlessly breaks the sod that if 

 properly treated and cared for as pasture would yield him far better 

 returns. 



HOW THE STOCK RANGES MAY BE RENEWED. 



In considering the question of how the ranges may be renewed, the 

 ideas and opinions of the leading stockmen of this section have been 

 solicited. They vary from that of giving the grasses absolute rest 

 until the ground has been reseeded with the best native varieties, to 

 that of partially breaking the sod and seeding down the land to sor- 

 ghum, Johnson grass, or the best of the tame hay grasses. 



If the natural pastures are to be once more brought up to their origi- 

 nal condition certain precautions must be taken. There must be no 

 more overstocking of the range. On the contrary, as far as practicable, 

 the land must be systematically rested. Some of the leading stockmen 

 are now dividing up their holdings into several pastures, one being held 

 exclusively for winter use, another for spring, another for midsummer 

 or autumn. This practice will, in the case of the winter pasture, enable 

 the early grasses to ripen and shed their seeds. To be successful there 

 should be rotation in the seasonal use of these pastures. Thus a pas- 

 ture which is grazed closely during winter for three or four successive 

 years should then be grazed only in summer for a like term, in order 

 that the late-maturing grasses, which would naturally be the ones eaten 

 during the winter, may have an opportunity to reseed themselves and 

 regain their former abundance. By this system of rotation the carry- 

 ing capacity of the pastures may be doubled or trebled in the course of 

 a few years. 



NEED OF HAY AND OTHER FORAGE. 



It will be necessary also to provide hay and forage, which may be 

 used during storms or in case of unusually severe winters, or in years 

 when through drought or other causes the natural herbage is less than 

 the normal. Tlie range grasses, even when abundant, may be so injured 

 by such unusual occurrences as heavy autunm rains as to be worthless 

 as food for stock. During the severe winters thousands of cattle and 

 sheep often die from starvation. Five per cent of their value invested 

 in hay or other feed and kept available for use during winter storms 

 would not only have saved their lives, but have brought them through 

 the season in growing and healthy condition. Vast quantities of hay 

 ccmld a few years ago be secured anywhere for the cost of cutting and 

 curing. With a renewed range this coiulition may be again attained, 

 aud even if the wihl hay can not be depended on or can not be secured 



