PASTURES ON THE RANGE. 453 



range to supply, more or less of feeding stock to farm- 

 ers further east. Viewed, therefore, from the stand- 

 point of actual production in the range grasses in their 

 aggregate form; that of the great possible increase in 

 production in the range country, and the relation, which 

 range grasses must bear to this increase; and from 

 that of the almost insuperable difficulties in the way 

 of substituting other grasses, for those now growing 

 on the range, the proper preservation of these, as pre- 

 viously intimated, is certainly a matter of national im- 

 portance. 



