44 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



and in some instances by re-ploughing them. The va- 

 rious phases of this wide question, however, will only be 

 touched upon here. The precise methods of securing 

 such renovation are more fully discussed in Chapters 

 XV and XVI. 



In certain areas when moisture is more or less de- 

 ficient as in the semi-arid belt, and in lands immediately 

 adjacent thereto, the grasses become thinner and in spots 

 fail altogether when they are grazed closely for a term 

 of years. The same is also true of pastures in certain 

 soils of the south much deficient in plant food. As these 

 fail the soil remains uncovered, or is more or less pos- 

 sessed by noxious weeds. In tillable areas the remedy 

 is adding more seed in the late fall on the disked or un- 

 broken surface, or in the early spring, with or without 

 disking or harrowing according to circumstances. When 

 this is done it has not usually been found necessary to 

 cease pasturing unless for a short time after sowing 

 the seed. Where tillage cannot be given as on the range 

 the remedy lies in so restricting the grazing that the 

 grasses may mature seeds to a greater or less extent and 

 so re-seed the land. On the open range, that is, on that 

 part of the range country known as public domain, such 

 restriction has not heretofore been found practicable. 

 But on those portions of the range under private own- 

 ership this can be don6 when the range is fenced, either 

 by grazing so moderately that more or less seed from 

 the grass plants will mature every year or by pasturing 

 only in alternate years. 



Top dressing with fertilizers may be made to greatly 

 increase the productiveness of pastures in areas sub- 



