OUTLOOK FOR LIVE STOCK 265 



men and old settlers, in general, have declared that 

 the great stretches of plains which constitute the 

 eastern half of the great state of Montana, that part 

 of the Dakotas west of the Missouri river and the 

 rolling prairies of eastern Wyoming and Colorado 

 were unfit for anything but stock growing, and 

 could never be used for any other purpose. The 

 last five years have witnessed here one of the most 

 remarkable changes in the history of western de- 

 velopment. Upon the plains of the semi-arid belt, 

 the dry farmer with his half section of homestead 

 has invaded this territory in every state from the 

 panhandle of western Texas to northern Montana, 

 and throughout hundreds of square miles has liter- 

 ally crowded both cattle and sheep out of the coun- 

 try. 



Colorado stockmen have recognized the changed 

 conditions, and have shown a disposition to adjust 

 themselves accordingly by the admission to the 

 cattle and horse growers' association of the cattle 

 and horse growers of the small ranches, men whose 

 stock is kept under practically farm conditions. 

 Hitherto, this class has not been admitted to mem- 

 bership in the association. Fred Johnson of Colo- 

 rado secretary of the Colorado association, states 

 that " practically the last of the big outfits have 

 gone from the ranges of the centennial state." He 

 adds, however, " that there were some large steer 

 outfits left far back from the railroad in the north- 

 western part of that state, but that the steers which 

 hitherto have been readily purchased in the South- 

 west are becoming scarce as the proverbial hens' 

 teeth." The same is true of the great ranges of 

 western Texas. This land has been found too valu- 

 able to remain longer in the raw condition, and 

 supports only the live stock which can be grazed 



