8 BULLETIN 588, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
carrying capacity) for three to four months following the beginning 
of the summer rains, (2) by no overstocking during the other eight 
months, and (3) by better distribution of stock watering places. It 
is believed that the area could have been used to full capacity, but 
not overstocked, during the eight months without retarding the rate 
of improvement. . 
These conclusions are based upon actual count and measurement 
of vegetation on the two ranges. It is of interest that the practical 
stockman who has used the range of the Jornada Reserve for 15 years 
believes that. the range of Pasture 2 has improved about 100 per 
cent since it was fenced in 1913, and that 1 average acre of it is 
now equal in forage value to 2 acres of the adjoining outside range. 
Pasture 5 of the Reserve furnishes additional proof of the value ot 
light stocking or deferred grazing during the growing season. ‘This 
pasture contains 2,815 acres of grama-grass range adjoining Pusture 
2 and similar in character. It is used primarily for saddle stock and 
as a holding pasture when the stock are being worked. Consequently, 
erazing has been heaviest during late summer and early fall, when 
the stock are worked most. 
Pasture 5 furnished during 1916 an average of 365 days’ feed for 
one animal on 22.89 acres. Under the present system of heavy 
grazing during the main growing season this stocking is probably 25 
per cent too heavy. The pasture is running down. In its present 
condition the pure grama-grass area is estimated to have a carrying 
capacity of 25.5 acres per head; agaimst 20.75 acres per head for 
similar grama-grass range in Pasture 2.. This difference of 22 per 
cent in favor of Pasture 2 is attributed to light stocking during the 
eTrowing season. 
The area designated in figure 2 as Pasture 10 also is essentially 
grama grass or mixed grass range, similar to that of Pasture 2. This 
area, like Pasture 2, has been grazed lightly during the main growing 
' season, but has been utilized fully the remainder of the year. As a 
whole, the area has improved more since 1913 than any other part 
of the Reserve. Careful studies show that it is about 10 per cent 
better than similar range in Pasture 2, this difference being attributed 
mainly to more productive soil. Pasture 10 produces at least 50 per 
cent more forage than when it was fenced in 1913. 
The rate of improvement of the grama-grass range under total 
protection against grazing has been studied by means of small fenced - 
areas and the results compared with results secured under light 
stocking during the growing season as reported for Pasture 2. In 
both cases the vegetation had been thinned out and weakened by 
grazing, but there were still enough of the better forage plants left 
to build the range up by natural revegetation. The results to date 
indicate that the improvement has been approximately the same 
