PASTURES ON THE RANGE. 441 



ranges exist, a considerable proportion of the land will 

 grow crops nnder snitable cultivation. The range conn- 

 try occupies parts of Assiniboia, Alberta, Saskatche- 

 wan, Athabasca, and British Columbia. The relative 

 area is probably greater in Assiniboia and Alberta than 

 in any of the other provinces of Canada. The ranges 

 are on the whole more productive than the average of 

 the American ranges, and since the summer climate 

 is cooler they are covered with a more abundant turf. 

 Moreover, they are less injured through overgrazing as 

 they are newer. The ranchmen, profiting by Ameri- 

 can experience, came early to an understanding as to 

 which parts should be grazed by sheep and which by 

 cattle and this also has had the effect of protecting the 

 ranges, as well as preventing feuds between sheep and 

 cattle owners and their herdsmen. As on the ranges 

 in American states northward, some food is usually 

 needed in winter ; strange to say the mean winter tem- 

 peratures on the Canadian ranges of Assiniboia and 

 Alberta, especially the latter, are not so low as those 

 of Montana and Dakota, although further north. The 

 explanation is found in the greater extent to which 

 "chinooks" prevail in winter. Some authorities claim 

 that these have access to the interior through the lower 

 elevation of the mountains east of Port Simpson. 



GEASSES FAILIXG OX THE WESTEEX^ EAXGES. 



On many portions of the range, the grasses have 

 failed to such an extent that, as previously intimated, 

 their sustaining capacity has been much reduced. The 



Grasses 29. 



