71 

 IMPROVEMENT OF THE RANGES. 



One of tlie most important factors in the improvement of the range 

 conditions would be the establisliment of some system of control which 

 would allow each rancher the exclusive right to graze his stock on a 

 given piece of land for a long term of years. As long as the "open 

 range"' is "free to all," ranchmen will continue to try to get their 

 "share" of it and there will be no possibility of any substantial improve- 

 ment. Under the present conditions there is no incentive for the 

 rancher to make any special efforts to improve the range except in so 

 far as it has to do with the immediate necessities of his stock. He 

 knows that if his stock does not eat the grass, that of somebody else 

 will, and naturally he thinks he might as well benefit by it as anyone. 

 In his efforts to get his "share" he contributes to the general destruc- 

 tion instead of trying to avert it. 



It is argued that if the" rancher could secure a long lease to a portion 

 of these public lands it would then be to his interest to improve and 

 maintain their productivit3^ He could then afford to build fences 

 and adopt other measures for the betterment of his holdings, being sure 

 that he and not someone else would get the benefit of his endeavors. 



With the recent rapid increase in the number of tilled ranches and 

 the growing tendency tow^ard the raising of more coarse forage for 

 winter feeding, it ought to be possible to handle more stock than 

 formerly instead of less, as is the case at the present time. Thus in the 

 Big Horn Basin and elsewhere in northern Wyoming ranchers assert 

 that they can easily raise winter feed for more stock than their summer 

 range'will carry in its jn-esent depleted condition. This statement is 

 borne out by the fact that on many ranches one may see large quantities 

 of surplus hay, often representing portions of crops of two or three 

 years. There are other districts in which the practice of growing for- 

 age for winter use should be greatly extended. The range could supply 

 plenty of pasturage for a part of the year, but is insuflticient for both 

 summer and winter forage. Millet, rye, oats, field peas, rape, sorghum, 

 and other forage crops can some of them be grown with at least a fair 

 degree of success in most localities in this region, and an extension of 

 their cultivation would have a beneficial effect on the open range, in 

 that it would be less closely grazed. 



An important problem to be considered in connection with the 

 improvement of range conditions is that of the water supply, particu- 

 larly as to the conservation and more equable distribution of the 

 annual rainfall. Something can be done by the individual efforts of 

 the stockmen, but if much permanent good is to be accomplished the 

 united efforts of the community and possibly the aid of the local or the 

 General Government will need to be turned in this direction. 



The conservation of water in this manner would serve a twofold 

 purpose. ]^ot only would it render possible the irrigation of more land 

 adapted to the growing of forage and other crops and the better irriga- 



