EFFECT OF GRAZING' UPON ASPEN REPRODUCTION. 29 



• 



gentle topography, and the forage is made up quite as much of 

 herbaceous as of woody species, so that this type is fully as well 

 suited to the grazing of cattle as of sheep. Moderate cattle grazing 

 during the first three or four seasons following cutting would insure 

 a satisfactory stand of timber, while at the same time the forage 

 crop could be utilized to its full capacity and the profits from grazing 

 left unimpaired. Furthermore, it is well known that a temporary 

 change in the class of stock generally grazed on the lands materially 

 increases and improves the forage, as the species relished by cattle 

 may be quite different from those relished by sheep. This reverse of 

 close cropping by cattle of species grazed lightly by sheep for many 

 years and light cropping of the species previously weakened by 

 continued close grazing would permit the species especially relished 

 by sheep not only to .regain their full vigor, but to reproduce abund- 

 antly, and thus maintain themselves against competition with other 

 species. Shifting from sheep to cattle for a three-year period, then, 

 would accomplish two important things: (1) It would guarantee 

 the establishment of a full aspen stand, and (2) it would improve the 

 carrying capacity of the range for sheep grazing. 



Obviously on cattle range no change in grazing is required, pro- 

 vided the lands are not too heavily stocked. Care should be taken, 

 however, to have the stock properly distributed over the range at all 

 times. This may best be accomplished by the proper location of 

 salting grounds and watering places. Where the animals are 

 inclined to drift on the lands so early in the season as to be forced to 

 subsist on browse of second choice, such as aspen reproduction, in 

 the absence of more choice feed, drift and division fences should be 

 built to facilitate judicious distribution of the stock. 



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