BULLETIN OF THE 



No. 34 



Contribution from the Forest Service, Henry S. Graves, Forester, 

 December 31, 1913. 



RANGE IMPROVEMENT BY DEFERRED AND ROTA- 

 TION GRAZING. 



By Arthur W. Sampson, 

 Plant Ecologist. 



WHAT CAUSES THE RANGE TO DETERIORATE. 



The forage crop on approximately 110,000,000 acres of land within 

 the National Forests is available for grazing live stock. Some idea 

 of the money value of this crop can be gained from the fact that 

 during the grazing season of 1912 the land supported approximately 

 14,000,000 head of stock, including cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and 

 swine. In many localities throughout the West the live-stock indus- 

 try is the main source of wealth. It depends for its existence upon a 

 permanent crop of good forage on the range, and the maintenance 

 and fullest use of this crop are therefore of the greatest importance 

 both to the individual stockmen and to the stock industry. 



A long step toward full use without injury to the forage plants 

 will be made when some of the simple precautions taken in connec- 

 tion with forage crops on farms and ranches are applied on the west- 

 ern range. No farmer who hopes to realize the fullest returns from 

 a permanent hay meadow would think of harvesting the crop as soon 

 as it is tall enough to cut, i^egardless of whether or not it is mature. 

 He has learned from experience that the maximum food value of the 

 crop is not obtained until it has made its full growth. He has also 

 learned from experience that to graze a permanent pasture closely 

 from the time that growth begins until it ceases will soon result in 

 decreasing its carrying capacity and eventually in depleting it. 



The vegetation which furnishes the grazing crop has the same 

 growth requirements as farm crops. Climate and soil conditions on 

 range lands, however, are generally less favorable to the growth of 

 forage than the conditions on most farms. So, if the range is to be 

 kept permanently in good condition, even greater care must be ex-* 

 ercised in utilizing the range crop than is necessary with that on the 

 farm. 



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