21 



Oklahoma, Colorado, and the Dakotas, while the remaining range 

 states show a decrease or remain practically unchanged. 



From 1900 to 1910 a marked decrease occurred in Texas, and 

 smaller declines in New Mexico, Arizona, and Montana; all other 

 states mentioned, particularly Wyoming and the Dakotas, show an 

 increase. These decreases, first in the northern range states, then 

 in the southern, were due, in large part at least, to the passing of 

 the four-year-old steer. By marketing stock at three years of age, 

 instead of four, an entire generation of cattle was eliminated from 

 the western country. This fact alone is enough to account for a 

 considerable falling off in the number of cattle even tho the yearly 

 calf crops were increasing in size. It should also be kept in mind 

 that considerable shifting of stock from one state to another was 

 constantly taking place in the range country. Consequently, a de- 

 crease in one state would be practically balanced by an increase 

 in another. However, it appears from these figures that the recent 

 tendency has been toward liquidation of cattle on the southwest- 

 ern ranges, while in the Northwest as a whole the number of 

 cattle has remained practically at a standstill. This decrease is made 

 more evident when it is considered that the maximum number of 

 cattle in these western states was reached in 1906, when the total 

 number was estimated at 18,057,000. Since that date, there has 



1870 

 1890 

 1899 

 1900 



5,993,000 



13,763,000 



11,359.000 



17,134,000 



FIG. 5. AGGREGATE NUMBER OF CATTLE IN VARIOUS WESTERN STATES, 



1870 TO 1910 



