THE CALL OF THE LAND 



fine pasture. Once 500 steers not seldom pas- 

 tured on a section about an acre and a 

 quarter a head; in most such localities 10 or 

 12 acres a head are now required. The be- 

 ginning of 1897 found the carrying capacity 

 of the southwestern ranges, on the average, 

 probably 40 per cent less than in 1880. 

 Texas alone may have lost $40,000,000 in 

 this way; other states and territories, to- 

 gether, $100,000,000. If the government 

 pastures still bore as rich grass as covered 

 them in 1880 and 1885, they would be feed- 

 ing stock worth $100,000,000 more than that 

 at present on them. 



The number of cattle in the United States 

 is increasing, though it does not keep pace 

 with the population. But the business is 

 more and more forced on to high-priced 

 land, rendering beef-production costlier 

 than it need be. According to figures laid 

 before the House Committee on Public 

 Lands, April 16, 1902, the number of range 

 cattle sent to market diminished 81 per cent 

 between 1895 an( ^ 1901. 



With due care the range can be made to 



