24 A TEXT-BOOK OF GRASSES 



connection with the national forests. These reserves were 

 formerly available as open range, but now stock is excluded 

 except as permission is obtained for grazing by leasing. 

 The terms of the lease provide for a maximum number of 

 stock at a definite price a head to graze over a limited 

 area for a limited season. In the open range system it was 

 customary for the ranchmen to arrange among them- 

 selves the use of the range. As they did not own or lease 

 the open range they could not keep out rival ranchmen 

 except by force. This not infrequently gave rise to strife, 

 sometimes accompanied by bloodshed, between the 

 opposing ranchmen or their herders, especially between 

 the cattlemen and the sheepmen. The especial seriousness 

 of the contests between the cattlemen and the sheepmen 

 arose from the fact that cattle will not willingly graze after 

 sheep probably because of some odor, whereas sheep will 

 graze after cattle. Furthermore, sheep graze the forage 

 much more closely than do cattle, so that after a band of 

 sheep has passed over an area there is little or nothing 

 left for the cattle. 



In former years ranchmen of the more southern 

 regions carried their stock through the winter upon the 

 range, depending upon the dry but nutritious grass 

 remaining from the preceding season. Not infrequently 

 there was loss of stock during stormy weather. In the 

 northerly regions, and now, in accordance with .the best 

 practice also in the South, supplementary feed is supplied 

 to stock during the winter months. 



21. Overgrazing. — ^Wild pasture land will permit of a 

 certain amount of grazing without deterioration. Beyond 

 this amount the grazing capacity becomes progressively 

 reduced. This condition is caused partly by actual injury 

 to the vegetation, partly by the reduction of its recupera- 



