CAUSE AND EFFECT OF OVERGRAZING II 



recover from the effects of a season's overgrazing, just as it will 

 regain its vigor after a year of drought if such a season is fol- 

 lowed by years of normal precipitation. If, however, over- 

 grazing is persisted in for several successive years, complete 

 barrenness is the inevitable result, and many years are required 



Fig. 3. — small, BADLY DEPLETED AREA PROTECTED BY I HE FOREST SERVICE 



AGAINST GRAZING FOR FIVE YEARS. 



It was the aim to determine the time required for revegetation, which is usually slow on badly trampled 



lands, and for a long time only inferior pasture plants are seen. 



in which to build up the soil and restore its original forage yield 

 (Fig. 3)- 



At the time when the railroads were extended into the pas- 

 ture regions of the West, the persons in the East who owned 

 western range property began to investigate and dispose of 

 their holdings. The western graziers soon realized that they 

 could no longer depend entirely upon " free " grass; and, in- 

 stead of this frontier country supplying "all the food for all 

 the cows in the world," as some had formerly believed it would 

 do, it was suddenly realized that the ranges were overcrowded. 



