4 BULLETIN 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 







Originally the only water on the lands now within the Reserve was 

 in a number of mountain springs, few of which furnish any consider- 

 able flow. Stock water for the plains and mesa, both on the Reserve 

 and on the adjacent range lands, is pumped from deep wells by wind- 

 mills and engines or is provided by tanks which catch the flood waters. 

 As a usual thing, there is not enough water for the stock. 



Before the lands were placed under reservation in 1912 a number 

 of individuals had attempted to establish permanent stock ranches 

 on them. But the difficulty and cost of sinking permanent wells, the 

 prevalence of droughts, and severe losses discouraged the small 

 owners, and their range rights were purchased eventually by a single 

 stockman. 1 Up to the time the Reserve was created, however, no 

 adequate provision had been made to prevent overgrazing or to effect 

 improvement of the stock. Also, the area lacked adequate facilities 

 for handling and caring for the breeding stock in a way to increase the 

 calf crop and prevent losses. Occasionally a small quantity of con- 

 centrated feed was used to supplement the range forage, but for the 

 most part the efforts along this line were unorganized. 



RANGE IMPROVEMENT BY NATURAL REVEGETATION. 



If the best results are to be secured in range management, both the 

 requirements of the vegetation which makes up the forage crop and 

 the practical demands of the stock must be kept in mind. These two 

 factors are especially important on year-long ranges of the Southwest, 

 where the time during which there is sufficient moisture for plant 

 growth is so short. 



Figure 2 shows that the range in the western portion of the Reserve 

 is largely grama and mixed grasses, which make their main growth 

 during July, August, and September. This forage is usually preferred 

 by animals while it is green, but it cures well on the stalk and is good 

 feed at any time of the year. Consequently it is especially valuable 

 as winter range. The forage of the middle portion of the Reserve is 

 composed principally of grasses 2 which furnish a good class of forage 

 when green, but which have li ttle value as feed when mature and dry. 

 This class of range is therefore of value primarily during the growing 

 season. 



1 Mr. C. T. Turney, who is cooperating with the Forest Service in carrying on the studies. At the time 

 the Reserve was created the 200,000-acre range unit was conceded to Mr. Turney by neighboring stockmen 

 under common or range rights established through the construction of watering places and the purchase of 

 prior rights and improvements of other owners. He leases all State lands and owns certain private lands 

 around the wells. The Government furnishes the public lands under reservation for a period long enough 

 to reimburse Mr. Turney for expenditures in conducting the experiments. The investigations are planned 

 by the Government and the stockman. All fencing, water development, and other construction work, as 

 well as extra labor in handling the stock for experimental purposes, are paid for by the cooperator in lieu of 

 grazing fees on the Government lands. The Government furnishes the men to keep proper records of all 

 experiments and to aid in planning new investigations. 



2 Tobosa grass, drop-seed grasses, muhlenbergias, and burro grass, 



