The northern edge of the plant's range has receded southward 

 since the 1930s as a result of harvesting. According to a rancher 

 familiar with the area, the plant was formerly common neai- 

 Freer, Texas, 42 miles north of its present abundance; harvesting 

 has evidently caused the plant's rarity in the north (Walker, 1 974) 



Areas not available for harvesting have become more numer- 

 ous within recent years. Many ranchers have locked their gate* 

 and forbidden any harvesting. Also, some areas have been trans- 

 formed into sorghum fields or improved pastures. The landownei 

 envisages many problems by allowing people on his land: 

 spooked cattle, fire, and the possibility of someone being hurt or 

 even killed in the snake-infested brush (Fulbright, 1974). Locked 

 gates have increased tensions between landowners and harves- 

 ters; trespassing has become a problem. The keys to the few fields 

 where harvesting is allowed are held by Peyoteros, who lease the 

 land. Brush control has been an increasingly common activity in 

 the south Texas landscape since the 1930s. Accelerated within 

 recent years because of Government aid, land is cleared for 

 improved pastures. Brush cleared by "chaining" or "chopping" is 

 said to revert to brush of previous density and height within five 

 to ten years (Davis, 1965). In recent years, the shift toward "root 

 plowing," followed by re-seeding of native and introduced 

 grasses, has more effectively altered the habitat, and has kept 

 back brush re-invasion for a longer period of time. Peyoteis least 

 disturbed by "chopping" since most of the plant lives under- 

 ground. "Chaining" in one direction minimizes damage to the 

 plant, but "chaining" back across the field tends to greatly reduce 

 it from the field (Cavazos, 1 974). "Root plowing" is most destruc- 

 tive to Peyote, yet even after an area has been "root plowed," 

 some underground roots continue to sprout new crowns. The 

 only topographic areas of Peyote escaping the root plow are 

 gravel hills, which are fortunately areas where the plants tend to be 

 concentrated. Gravel hills may eventually be the only areas where 

 the plant will remain concentrated. Within the last five years, the 

 U.S. Soil Conservation Service in Texas refused to cost share 

 with the rancher in brush removal of those areas where the Peyote 

 plant occurred; this change in policy was due to the plant being 

 considered an endangered species in Texas by the "Texas Organi- 



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