PROGRESS OF THE RANGE BUSINESS 



77 



a grower as the alfileria. This is noticeable on the San 

 Joa'quin plains, where in the last fifteen years the old- 

 timers say it has almost completely run out alfileria on 

 some ranges. 



These spring ranges come quickly and go as rapidly 

 as they came. By the end of June they are dry and yel- 

 low, and the feed is gone for the season. 



Carrying Capacity of Ranges. It is impossible to 

 give any hard and fast rule for estimating the carry- 

 ing capacity of the western ranges. Much depends of 

 course on the character of the soil," the annual rainfall 

 and the slope of the country, whether to the south or 

 the north. A range facing to the south and east will 

 generally be two to three weeks earlier than one which 

 lies to the north or west. Also the kinds of forage plants 

 found upon the range must be considered, as well as the 

 watering facilities for the animals that are to use it. 



Horses the Worst Grazers. Based upon their use of 

 the range, horses are the worst grazers we have. This 

 is due to their habit of traveling long distances to water 

 and feed, often at very high speeds, their playfulness on 

 the range and the fact that a horse can and does graze 

 a range very closely, possibly even closer than a sheep. 

 A bunch of horses in good spirits will race and romp 

 over the range for hours at a time, cutting up the sod 

 with their feet, chasing the cattle away from the water 

 holes and salting grounds, running over little calves and 

 in this manner often doing more damage than thev do bv 

 feeding. A stockman taking horses for pasture will 

 charge more for that class of stock than for any other, 

 and on account of it some will not receive them for pas- 

 ture at all. 



Mules also do great damage among stock on the 



