BEPORT OF THE COMMItiSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 27 



cultivation of the soil and the selection of suitable kinds of grasses 

 will double the capability of that country for the raising of stock and 

 for dairying purposes. There can be little doubt that in the area 

 above referred to there are 50,000 square miles capable of being util- 

 ized without irrigation, and capable of sustaining, under jjroper man- 

 agement, at least 50 head of cattle to the square mile, or 2,500,000 

 cattle on the entire tract. By many of the residents this estimate 

 would be considered much too small; but it must be remembered 

 that this estimate is based on the cultivation of the soil, or of a large 

 part of it, and not on its use under the ranch system. 



It is probable that there are large areas of arid land where no agri- 

 cultural improvement can be expected, and such areas will continue 

 to be occupied as ranches for cattle and sheep. Notwithstanding the 

 great development of the cattle industry during recent years, statis- 

 tics show that the production of beef has not kept pace with the in- 

 crease of population, and to supply the great demand for meat we 

 will require not only the usual product of the ranches, but there is 

 also an excellent opportunity of cattle farming where the additional 

 labor and care will greatly increase the supply. The great and rapid 

 expansion of the country will soon require the consideration of means 

 to reclaim and utilize to the fullest extent all portions of the public 

 territory. 



The investigations by the Botanist of the native grasses of the arid 

 plains has convinced him that there are other species than the pre- 

 vailing ones which can be substituted for them with the result of 

 greatly increasing the grass product. But they, as well as other 

 grasses and forage plants, require to be subjected to careful and pro- 

 longed trials and experiments in order to obtain proof of their relative 

 values under the different circumstances of soil, altitude, &c., there 

 existing. These trials and experiments cannot well be made by in- 

 dividuals on account of the expense and peculiar skill required and 

 the knowledge of the grasses and forage plants to be tested. Hence it 

 is highly important that the Government should provide experi- 

 mental stations at suitable points, particularly in the iilterest of that 

 body of settlers who are now taking possession of the country, and 

 who will, without the aid of such information as could thus be com- 

 municated, be exposed to many losses and disappointments in prose- 

 cuting agriculture under the peculiar circumstances there existing. 

 As the result of these recent investigations I am led to particularly 

 recommend what I consider to be a fine situation for an experimental 

 grass station at the town of Wallace, in the extreme western part of 

 Kansas. Here is the Government reservation of Fort Wallace, em- 

 bracing a tract of 2 miles wide by 7 miles long, and including low or 

 bottom land and high upland, and therefore eminently suitable for the 

 enterprise. I regard the location as typical of the larger portion of 

 that arid region. There are a number of buildings formerly used for 



