78 NATUR.^L RESEEDIXG AND MAINTENANCE 



fall grazing is largely offset by the planting of an additional seed 

 crop from which seedlings arise in the following year. 



In recounting the advantages of the deferred-grazing plan it 

 should not be overlooked that it does away with the fire hazard 

 which is increased by the accumulation of inflammable material 

 on areas protected yearlong. 



APPLICATION OF DEFERRED GRAZING 



On range where water is available for livestock in the autumn, 

 deferred grazing can generally be practiced with highly grati- 

 fying results.^ Ample water must be available for the stock 

 after the herbage dries. In many localities water may be pro- 

 vided with little cost by the construction of dams, by the pro- 

 tection or development of springs, or by the development of 

 wells and the building of windmills. (See Chap. XV.) 



Area to be Reserved. — In applying the deferred-grazing 

 system the first points to consider are the time at which the seed 

 of the most important forage plants matures and the length of 

 the grazing period that remains after seed maturity. On high 

 summer ranges, such as those on the National Forests, one-fifth 

 to one-fourth of the grazing season remains between the time of 

 seed maturity and the coming of permanent snows. According- 

 ly, at least one-fifth of the grazing capacity of the entire pasture 

 or allotment may be reserved annually for deferred grazing. 

 At lower elevations proportionately larger areas may be reserved 

 for reseeding, as the seed crop ripens correspondingly earlier. 



General Directions. — When an area is selected for reseeding, 

 it should be strictly reserved for late grazing, and no trespassing 

 by any class of stock should be permitted. The first year the 

 forage should be closely but not destructively utilized. Regard- 

 less of the stock grazed, the herder should see to it that the ani- 

 mals pass at least once over the entire area in order to insure 

 planting of the seed. The following season the same area should 

 again be reserved for deferred grazing, for, if the vegetation is 

 much weakened from previous ruthless grazing, two or more 



' Jardine, James T., "Improvement and Management of Native Pastures in 

 the West." U. S. Dept. of Agr. Yearbook, 1915, p. 304. 



