PREFACE. 



This is the third paper in the series prepared by Dr. Griffiths bear- 

 ing on the general subject of range management, two previous reports 

 having been published as Bulletins of the Bureau of Plant Industry, 

 Nos. 4 and 15. The present report discusses existing conditions on 

 the ranges of eastern Washington, eastern Oregon, northeastern Cali- 

 fornia, and northwestern Nevada, points out the causes which have 

 led to the present depleted condition of most of the range country, and 

 suggests needful changes in present methods of utilizing the scanty 

 feed to be found on most of the nonarable lands of the West. 



It is noteworthy that the one factor which has contributed more 

 than any other to the depletion of the ranges is the development of hay 

 production on irrigated land in the range region. As long as stock 

 was compelled to subsist the year round on the range, the limited 

 supply of winter feed rendered it impossible to support enough stock 

 to make serious inroads on the more abundant summer growth. The 

 forage plants of the ranges were thus permitted to make seed. But 

 with the advent of hay for winter feed the amount of stock that could 

 be handled increased till in many places the summer growth on the 

 range was entirely consumed, leaving no chance for the production of 

 seed. As a result many thousands of acres of land that formerly fur- 

 nished abundant pasture are now devoid of any growth that stock will 

 eat, while plants of no value and which are not disturbed by the graz- 

 ing stock have spread rapidly over these areas. 



It is clear that suggestions for the improvement of range conditions 

 to be of value must come from those who are not only familiar with 

 the condition of the ranges, but who also understand the conditions 

 under which stock must be handled on the range. In obtaining the 

 material used in preparing this paper, Dr. Griffiths has traveled 1,700 

 miles in the range country, mostly by wagon, but no small part of 

 this distance has been covered afoot. On this journey every stockman 

 on the route was interviewed, and in this way much valuable informa- 

 tion was collected. 



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