PASSING OF THE FEDERAL PASTURE 



fall being so distributed through the year, 

 that while it suffices for range purposes, 

 it is in some seasons not quite sufficient for 

 farming. Much of this territory can be 

 made fit for farms and homes, but there are 

 in the United States many hundred thou- 

 sands of acres which will always be better 

 adapted to grazing than to farming. 



That the life-supporting power of the 

 government pastures is rapidly declining 

 there can be no doubt. The high price of 

 beef is not due entirely to the rapacity of 

 packers. Public pasture is dying out. 

 Areas which half a century ago grew vast 

 herds of buffalo, antelope, and deer, and 

 subsequently even more immense troops of 

 cattle, are now almost a waste. Still ampler 

 domains are approaching the same fate. 



The range has been abused. Too many 

 cattle and sheep have been kept upon it. 

 For years "free grass" was to be had every- 

 where. Old settlers declare that when they 

 first saw prairies which now appear barren 

 as Sahara, grass there was from i to 3 feet 

 high this not only near water, but on the 



37 



