10 



From Hon. John C. Bell, M. C, of Colorado: 



(1) In the rncompaligre, Gunnison, and C4ran(l valleys, the San Luis Valley, and 

 the upper portion of the Arkansas Valley, our great field plant is alfalfa. The 

 mountain sides, mesas, and foothills are covered with bunch grass which supplies 

 all herds from about April 1 to December 1. If we could find some grass that would 

 flourish in the low foothills without irrigation for winter feed it would bo a great 

 boon to all of Colorado. Our summer forage is ample and of the very best (luality. 



(2) The ranges vary so that no approximate estimate can be made. On some 

 hiuh mesas where the snow is deep in winter the grass is very abundant, but lower 

 down it decreases. But these ranges are ample for all the stock that can be wintered 

 in the valleys below. 



(3) Not in the mountainous regions. 



(i) Cattle and horses rarely impoverish a range, as they do not feed in close 

 bunches, but sheep tramp out and practically destroy the grasses wherever they are 

 kept. Horses and cattle will not remain or feed with them on the range. 



(5) Buncb-grass and blue-stem in the mountain regions can not be surpassed unless 

 some grass could bo found that would stand the drought in the foothills. 



(6) We have three varieties — adobe, black loam soil on the river bottoms, and the 

 high " red oxide " mesa lands. Vegetables grow best on the black loam, wheat and 

 oats on the adobe, fruit trees and alfalfa on the high mesa, though it is all better 

 than the average lands of the country for any of the ordinary crops, and would 

 probaljly produce most of the common grasses, though but little experiment has 

 been made in this direction. 



From Hon. Jos. M. Carey, Cheyenne, Wyo.: 



(1) The introduction of a forage plant that will mature during our short seasons 

 and will afford good grazing all the year, the seed of which would germinate and 

 grow by simply being raked or '-disked in"on the native soil. The native grasses are 

 so valuable that it would ho unwise to destroy them, but with nutritious grasses to 

 supplement them the capacity of a given section for grazing purposes might be 

 greatly increased. 



(2) This depends upon circumstances. Some sections as they were left by nature 

 would scarcely carry an animal ; others, 30 to 40 head. Should say average 1.5 head 

 for three hundred and sixty-five days. 



(3) Yes; but as soon as cattle are removed the ranges again grow up to the native 

 grasses. When I speak of cattle I mean neat cattle and horses. Where sheep graze 

 for a number of years weeds take the place of native grasses. 



(4) Kest. 



(5) Bunchi-grass, blue-stem, and buflalo-grass are the varieties best known to 

 stockmen. I do not know of any. 



(6) Sod free from brush of any kind. The native grasses referred to; with irriga- 

 tion all of the small grains and forage plants that are common in this latitucU' pro- 

 duce well. Alfalfa does well everywhere in this State when irrigated, where the 

 altitude is not over 5,000 feet. Three crops may be harvested; season's production, 

 from 3 to 6 tons an acre. 



A glance tlirou<ili this correspondence shows at once that not one 

 but many problems relating- to the forage supply demand attention. 

 Localities having like soil and climatic conditions may still differ widely 

 as to the most pressing needs. Thus, in one locality the greatest need 

 may be early spring forage, in another it may be winter forage, and in 

 still another it may be summer feed, while in many localities it is a 

 question of a general shortage for the entire year. 



The study of the forage question in the West and Northwest has not 



