CHAPTER XX. 



THE RANGING OF LIVE STOCK. 



The nomadic range robber has disappeared before 

 the home-builder, and a more civilized system prevails. 



EXTENT OP It is comparatively few years since all the 



THE RANGE ^ re gi on was ran g e . There have^ been en- 

 croachments through reclamation by dry farm- 

 ing and irrigation. The principal condition 

 which has broken up the general free use of the 

 range is that the land, with water, has largely 

 passed into private ownership. Much of the land 

 that can be easily irrigated has been filed on un- 

 der the several land laws, and the water-supply 

 has passed into private ownership and control. 

 A large extent of the arid region will always re- 

 main range land, and the ranging of live stock in 

 connection with the use of the cultivable area 

 will always be an important consideration. It 

 is estimated that after we deduct the lands which 

 can be irrigated, and those available for dry 

 farming, fifty per cent, of the total area still re- 

 mains as forest and grazing land. 



RANGE ALL There is no opportunity left for new settlers 



to enter into the business of ranging live stock in 

 the West, unless they secure control of ranch and 

 range by purchase or lease. The free open 

 ranges of the West are all overstocked. During 

 the prosperous times of the past few years sheep- 



